96+ The 2014 Pinot Kirchenstück Brut Nature Réserve is the third edition that was produced after 2011 and 2012. Based on 35+-year-old Pinot Noir vines cultivated in the Hohen-Sülzen "Grosse Lage" Kirchenstück (Muschelkalk limestone topped by a layer of loam), vinified in stainless steel for nine months and aged on the bottle lees for 90 months, the citrus-colored wine opens with a deep, pure, tight, fresh and complex bouquet of iodine, limestone, lemon and orange zests. Pure and fresh on the palate, this is a tight and mineral and still young sparkling wine that will benefit from further bottle aging. The finish is very intense, pure and saline, with lots of grip and tension. This is a superb single-vineyard millesimé with great personality. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2023. - SR

The 2014 Brut Nature Pinot Kirchenstück Réserve is a single-site Sekt of Pinot Noir grown on limestone. The base wines were fermented in stainless steel, and the wine spent 7 years and 8 months on lees. Exemplary freshness marks the nose, brimming with lemon, subtle white currant and pastry, still accompanied by a pleasant and promising touch of reduction. The merest touch of honey plays in the background. The palate has an appealing saltiness that hits well before fruit, backed by shortcrust on a slender frame with exquisitely fine mousse–very fresh, really lean, most elegant and oh so fresh. This combines absolute lightness with real depth: the Raumland style writ large. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: February 2023. -- Anne Krebiehl MW