Rebstein

Rebstein takes its name from one of the villages Philipp Grob farms in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley, in the far east of Switzerland near the borders with Liechtenstein and Austria. Like his other parcels, the vines here sit on steep, demanding ground that Grob has taken over from older growers no longer able to manage the physical work the slope requires.

Grob is entirely self taught, shaped by natural winemakers Markus Ruch, Michael Broger and Dominique Derain, and he treats every one of his sites with the same hands off philosophy. Spontaneous fermentation, roughly a year of aging in barrique, no fining, no filtration, no added sulphur. That consistency lets Rebstein's own soil and exposure speak for itself, distinct from his other cuvées despite an identical winemaking process.

True to Grob's house style, this Pinot Noir stays cloudy and unpolished, driven by black currant and pink pepper aromas, with a lively tension and a fine tannic grip that carries through to a clean finish. Easygoing enough for a simple glass on its own, it also holds its own against a light meal or a cheese plate.