WongAmat by Jan Raumland – Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg Cabernet Franc dry 2023

WongAmat by Jan Raumland – Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg Cabernet Franc dry 2023: A still masterpiece from Württemberg’s steep slopes

There are wines that are more than just a drink. They are the audible pulse of a region, a winemaker’s uncompromising signature and a time capsule for a specific moment in the vineyard. The 2023 Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg Cabernet Franc dry, produced by Jan Wongse Raumland under the WongAmat label , is one such wine – and at the same time a fascinating record of a very personal story. It comes from a winemaker whose life story is as unusual as his career: Jan Wongse Raumland, born in Bonn to a Thai father and a German mother, grew up in Siefersheim in Rheinhessen from the age of six, surrounded by vines, and discovered wine through the world of gastronomy and his career as a sommelier. His label , WongAmat, pays homage to his Thai family; it is a contraction of the name Wongse-Amatyakul, which in South-East Asia stands for exceptional craftsmanship and social commitment. Before Jan launched his own wines, he completed a winemaking apprenticeship with Emrich-Schönleber, studied in Geisenheim, undertook work placements from Ara to South Africa, and worked full-time for Klaus-Peter Keller. During an internship in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in South Africa, he met Katharina Raumland, the daughter of Volker Raumland, founder of the Raumland sparkling wine house, and joined the family winery. This unusual background – combining a sommelier’s sensory expertise, artisanal precision and the influences of Germany’s leading winemakers – continues to shape his style to this day: His wines are not loud, brash powerhouses, but delicate, precise and profound wines that embody the very soul of their origins.

The vineyard: Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg – limestone, marl and the River Neckar

To understand this wine, one must first understand the vineyard from which it comes. The Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg is situated in Württemberg, on the steep slopes above the Neckar Valley, and is one of the region’s most renowned vineyards. The vineyards rest on limestone and marl soils, which provide the vines with excellent drainage and allow them to develop deep root systems. This sparse, mineral-rich geology forces the vines to extend their roots deep into the ground, resulting in a natural reduction in yield and a high concentration of aromas and minerals in the grapes. The climate in this vineyard, with warm days and cool nights, ensures slow ripening of the grapes and an intense development of aromas – an ideal combination for Cabernet Franc, which lends the wine remarkable freshness and vibrancy. For this wine, Jan Raumland works with a plot belonging to the Wörwag family, which he cultivates 100 per cent organically. Production is extremely limited, with just a few barriques – meaning a minuscule batch. This focus on a microscopically small area allows for a level of selection and manual labour that would be virtually impossible on larger estates.

Vinification: craftsmanship with the utmost care

The winemaking process follows a protocol that is as precise as it is gentle, which Jan Raumland perfected during his apprenticeship. The grapes are harvested by hand and rigorously selected to ensure only the healthiest and most aromatic berries are used. Fermentation takes place spontaneously using the natural yeasts present on the grapes and in the cellar, and the wine matures in neutral oak barrels – Jan deliberately avoids using new barriques for this wine so as not to mask the fruit and minerality, and to bring the cool climate character and the aromatic precision of the Cabernet Franc to the fore. The alcohol content is a moderate 13.0% vol. – a remarkably restrained figure for a Cabernet Franc of this concentration, which underlines the wine’s balanced, terroir-driven style. This minimally invasive winemaking approach is the estate’s hallmark and the key to the exceptional balance and longevity of its wines.

The sensory experience: a mosaic of red berries, graphite and violets

Tasting a bottle of the WongAmat Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg 2023 today is an experience of rare depth and complexity. The tasting notes compiled by collectors and critics since bottling paint a picture of a wine that has transformed the extremes of its vintage and terroir into a remarkable harmony.

The nose is the first major revelation of this wine. It is bright and aromatic, characterised by a ripe yet vibrant fruitiness of redcurrants and spicy paprika notes, underpinned by a subtle hintofgraphite and a touch of violet. This blend of red fruit, green spice and floral notes is the hallmark of Cabernet Franc – and in the hands of Jan Raumland, it becomes a bouquet of great clarity and depth. The chalky minerality so typical of Herzogenberg shimmers through as a cool, stony undertone, anchoring the wine in its terroir.

On the palate, the true greatness of this wine unfolds. The attack is silky and medium-bodied, with a lively, invigorating acidity that carries the wine and lends it remarkable freshness and length. The tannins are fine and polished, and the wine possesses an elegant structure that prevents it from ever feeling heavy. The aromas on the nose are echoed on the palate with great precision: red berries, paprika, graphite and a subtle mineral salinity blend into a harmonious whole. The finish is long and lingering, with a mineral, savoury aftertaste that lingers on the palate long after the wine has been swallowed. This length and purity on the finish are the hallmarks of a wine that has been vinified with care and patience and which reflects its origin and vintage in every nuance. One taster aptly described the style as a combination of the ‘lift and minerality of Loire reds’ with the ‘texture and spice of a fine Pinot’ – a description that underlines this wine’s unique position amongst Europe’s great red wine regions.

The ratings and their context

The ratings for WongAmat’s wines reflect the growing recognition that Jan Wongse Raumland enjoys in the wine world. The Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg Cabernet Franc 2023 is described as a ‘rare, single-vineyard Cabernet Franc’ that is ‘remarkably elegant’ and demonstrates the grape variety’s potential ‘beyond its traditional regions’. The Vivino platform records a high average rating for the wine, and the CellarTracker community is also featuring the 2023 vintage with some promising initial notes. The wine is described as a ‘brilliant discovery for collectors ’ seeking ‘distinctive European red wines ’ made‘with care and clarity’. This range of high ratings shows that WongAmat’s Herzogenberg is a wine that can be perceived very differently depending on the bottle, storage conditions and personal taste, but which consistently impresses at the very highest level.

Drinking maturity and ageing potential: A wine for the coming years

The question of when the WongAmat Herzogenberg 2023 is ready to drink is particularly relevant today, three years after the harvest. The wine is already accessible and a great pleasure – its silky texture and aromatic precision make it a delight even now. However, its structure – the combination of lively acidity, fine tannins and mineral depth – suggests that the wine can still be enjoyed at a high standard for several more years. The official recommendation specifies a drinking window from 2025 to 2033 to appreciate its ‘tension and purity’. Anyone lucky enough to own a bottle should therefore open it in the coming years to experience it in its current, complex splendour – or store it patiently for a few more years to allow the mineral depth of the limestone and the spicy complexity to emerge even more clearly. The serving recommendation is clear: the wine should be servedslightly chilled at around 13 to 15 degrees Celsius to bring out its delicate aromas and structure to the full. It is a perfect accompaniment to duck, lentils or grilled vegetables – and it is a wine that deserves to be enjoyed on its own and at leisure, as a meditation on time and the enduring power of a great terroir.

Conclusion: The quiet grandeur of a personal project

The WongAmat by Jan Raumland Untertürkheimer Herzogenberg Cabernet Franc dry 2023 is not a wine that takes centre stage. It is not a ‘Grand Cru’ in the marketing-driven sense, celebrated as a legend in every wine magazine, and it is available only in vanishingly small quantities – a rare bottling from just a few barriques, reserved primarily for connoisseurs and collectors. And yet it embodies a virtue that is often overlooked in today’s wine world: the quiet, enduring greatness of a wine that originates from one of Württemberg’s most exciting vineyards, the steadfast craftsmanship of a winemaker who has translated the influences of his apprenticeship with Emrich-Schönleber and Klaus-Peter Keller into his own distinctive project, and has produced a vintage that combines warmth and ripeness with precise structure. It is the result of a fortunate combination of limestone- and marl-rich soils, a plot owned by the Wörwag family, and a winemaking process characterised by spontaneous fermentation, neutral oak and 13 per cent alcohol. It reminds us that true class is not always expressed through spectacular opulence or a famous name, but often in the ability to develop its own subtle and deeply satisfying character under the conditions of the times. Its greatness lies in its modesty – a quiet triumph of consistency and a worthy ambassador for Untertürkheim’s Herzogenberg, Württemberg and the personal story of a winemaker who translates his Thai and German roots into a new, exciting language of wine.