I particularly enjoyed its lively and very catchy style.

A dry red wine from 2024, which he simply calls 'Herr Heinrich'

And confidently declared 'only' as a Baden regional wine: "Lively aroma with notes of cherry jam and cherry liqueur; equally cheerful, fresh, and fruity on the palate with hints of sour cherry compote and a vibrancy that accompanies you right through to the finish, which fades with a subtle salinity," are my notes. A very enjoyable wine and a good food companion. It's fun, and you're already looking forward to the next sip, all at just 12% alcohol. That's not something you find very often.

When asked, Bohnert reveals that the wine is made from the Pinotin and Satin Noir grape varieties. Both are red PIWI varieties and were breeded by the renowned Swiss breeder Valentin Blattner. Pinotin was approved for commercial wine production in Germany back in 2014. Satin Noir is still in the experimental phase. Incidentally, breeding and approval processes take years, even decades. Both varieties are expected to have a bright future, and the young 4.5-hectare wine estate cultivates one hectare of each. Bohnert explains: "Before planting and selecting the varieties, I did a great deal of research, attending wine presentations and visiting colleagues. My top priorities were that the wine is tatsting well and that the vines were easy to grow and care for, not only resistant to fungal diseases but also robust in general."

2024 Souvignier Gris dry

Equally superb, and also "only" declared as a Baden regional wine, 12%: "A powerful nose, immediately appealing, with notes of candied lemon peel, green apples, mirabelle compote plus a hint of Williams pear; a very elegant body, rolling across the tongue, then an entertaining fresh liveliness emerges from the background; an elegant finish with a subtle hint of green bell pepper and lemon balm, accompanied by a light salinity," I noted. Equally enjoyable.

The white Souvignier Gris is also a PIWI variety, bred by the State Viticultural Institute in Freiburg and approved back in 2013. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, with 596 hectares under cultivation, it is now the most widely planted PIWI variety in Germany (as of 2024). Bohnert explains: “We had a small plot, and the vines were simply fantastic; the leaves and grapes remained perfectly healthy well into autumn, and the wine was superb, so now we have a hectare under cultivation.”

For those who prefer something slightly milder, Bohnert has a very nice wine to offer:

2024 Sauvitage semi-dry

11% and Baden country wine: “Spicy aroma with floral notes such as lovage, as well as hints of ripe apples and a touch each of candied orange peel and lemon zest; on the tongue lively, alternating between spicy and elegant, gradually filling the mouth more and more; in the finish long-lasting power, from which fine white pepper notes are finally aremerging.”

Sauvitage is a white PIWI variety that originated in 1988 at the State Teaching and Research Institute for Viticulture and Fruit Growing in Weinsberg and was approved in 2020. Note the long timeframe! The German Federal Statistical Office first recorded 139 hectares under cultivation in 2024.

And as a crowning finale, Bohnert's "heart and soul," a magnificent dessert wine:

Helios “SUR LIE” Quality Wine Baden

14% ABV, aged for one year on the yeast in wooden barrels (la lie, French, refers to the wine yeast that settle in the barrel): “The nose immediately experiences a wonderful ripeness, opulent, with notes of caramel and nut cake; on the tongue, mouth-filling, round, expansive, ripe, with fruity hints of ripe mango. A great deal of richness comes across, which accompanies the palate to the finish and culminates in notes of crème brûlée.”

Helios is a white PIWI grape variety bred in 1973 at the State Viticultural Institute in Freiburg. It was approved for commercial wine production in 2005 and is considered a specialty. Bohnert: "We only have 20 ares of it and only 500 liters of this wine – but I love it."

More information on the website: https://weinvommax.de

Text and photos (unless otherwise stated): Dieter Simon, publisher and editor-in-chief of bonvinitas