The Small Cross – 2021

The 2021 Das kleine Kreuz from Weingut Rings is the second wine to their grand cuvée

The 2021 Das kleine Kreuz from Weingut Rings is a dry red wine cuvée from the Freinsheimer Schwarzes Kreuz, the warmest vineyard site in the area, planted with old vines on very dry sand, gravel, and loess. Merlot sets the tone here, and twenty months in small barrels have imbued the wine with its dark spice.

The 2021 Das kleine Kreuz is a dry red cuvée from Weingut Rings in Freinsheim, harvested in the Schwarzes Kreuz site and aged in 225-liter barrels. With 13.5 percent alcohol, the wine remains agile despite its density, and its lively acidity ensures that it doesn’t feel weary, even after the second glass.

Wild berries, cassis, and a hint of smoke

The aroma rising from the glass is warm and redolent of dark berries, led by wild berries and cassis with an herbal note underneath that is reminiscent of freshly sliced bell pepper.

On the palate, the wine is juicy, dense, and powerful. Yet it never feels heavy, because a lively acidity keeps the dark fruit in motion the entire time. Added to this are roasted notes from the wood, a fine spice, and just a hint of smoke at the very end, before the finish softens and lingers surprisingly long.

Merlot takes the lead, accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and St. Laurent, which places the style in the vein of a Saint-Émilion Bordeaux. As is the case there, the Merlot provides the soft, full-bodied core that anchors everything else.

With leg of lamb, roasted bell peppers, and salami

A red wine with this density demands dishes that provide their own fat and roasted elements, otherwise its power goes to waste. This vintage brings enough substance to the table without being overbearing.

It is a classic pairing for a leg of lamb with rosemary, roasted bell peppers from the oven, or air-dried salami on a board. The herbal note in the wine picks up on the rosemary, while the acidity cleanses the palate between bites.

It shows best at sixteen to eighteen degrees, and an hour in a carafe does it no harm. In the red wine section, you will find more powerful bottles from German cultivation waiting to be discovered.

Why a second wine is ready to drink sooner

A second wine is not a weaker version of the grand wine, but a distinct selection from the same vineyards, consisting of barrels that mature to a softer state more quickly.

With the Kleine Kreuz, this can be seen in two figures. The yield is 3,000 liters per hectare, which is higher than for the grand cuvée, and during aging, only half goes into new 225-liter barrels, while the other half goes into already-used barrels with their more muted oak character.

That is why this vintage is drinking round today, while the Saumagen Spätburgunder from the same producer can handle years more in the cellar. The grapes are hand-harvested, sorted a second time at the winery, and destemmed, with a small portion being fermented with the stems in warmer years. No pumps are used in the process. You can see how the two brothers in Freinsheim work by browsing the Weingut Rings range.

The 2021 Das kleine Kreuz – a red wine and its technical data

• Origin Germany
• Region Pfalz
• Winery Rings
• Grape varieties Merlot, St. Laurent, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
• 13.5% alc./vol.
• 0.1 g/l residual sugar
• 5.7 g/l acidity

Organic control number – DE-ÖKO-022 German Agriculture