Top 100 red wines of Ahr

Discover the top 100 best red wines of Ahr as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the red wines that are popular of Ahr and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of Ahr

Ahr is one of Germany’s least-known and Northernmost wine regions, known for its Pinot Noir reds. It Lies immediately north of the Mosel, and follows the Ahr River in the Final stages of its journey towards its confluence with the Rhein. One might expect a wine region this far north (50°N) to specialize in white wines – like almost every other cool-Climate wine region. After all, neighboring Mosel and Mittelrhein both clearly favor white wines (around 85 percent).

However Ahr producing around 85 percent red wines, of which around three-quarters are made from Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). The classic example is brick red in Color and smells of red cherries, Sweetspices and forest floor. Barrel-aging can add spice and savory notes. Ahr Pinot Noir is now a much more Serious, modern and "international" wine style that it once was.

Until 30 years ago, the wines were often slightly sweet and very pale. Today they are invariably Dry and deeper in color – although still much paler than the inky Pinots found in, say, Central Otago. Across Germany (most obviously in Pfalz and Baden), assisted by climate change, the popularity of Pinot Noir has been steadily increasing. The wave of interest has carried German Spätburgunder to new heights, and saved from near-extinction the earlier-ripening Pinot Noir clone, Fruhburgunder.

Discover the grape variety: Pinot

Pinot noir is a grape variety that originated in France (Burgundy). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches, and small grapes. Pinot noir can be found in many vineyards: Burgundy, Alsace, Jura, South-West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Savoie & Bugey, Loire Valley, Champagne, Armagnac, Lorraine, Beaujolais, Rhône Valley, Provence & Corsica.

Food and wine pairing with a red wine of Ahr

red wines from the region of Ahr go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, veal or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of braised beef with carrots, filet mignon with prunes and white wine or duck breast with honey-orange sauce.

News from the vineyard of Ahr

Clare Tooley MW: My top 10 wines of 2021

Only 10? I feel a little like I do when faced with a hefty restaurant wine list. So many lovely wines, so little time to do them justice. My mind tracks the names, vintages and regions in fleeting time, flipping like a kaleidoscope. The effort is always accompanied by that nagging worry you’re missing the absolute gem. All the while, your dinner date is itching simply to get on and tuck into the evening with a good glass of wine. The Tooley household has been through a lot in 2021, including som ...

Serving Thanksgiving wine: Expert tips

Thanksgiving is an excuse to indulge in the company of your family – and Thanksgiving 2021 will likely see even more indulgence than normal as people celebrate getting together again at this time of year. So pull out your best bottles and follow these top wine serving tips for a successful Thanksgiving. Serve red wines at 16-18°C (61-65°F) Your full-bodied California Cabernet or Brunello di Montalcino may be described as at the peak of its powers when served at ‘room temperature’. However, ...

Decanter at Home: Château Angélus masterclass – a philosophy of excellence

Last chance: You can still buy tickets to watch this Château Angélus virtual masterclass and taste the wines, via the Decanter at Home series – book here Guiding us through this tasting was estate co-owner and CEO Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, the eighth generation of the de Boüard family at Angélus. After a first career in London in the financial industry, de Boüard came back to St-Emilion, and the estate where she grew up, in 2012, and told us, ‘it is now my turn to write a new chapter in ...