Fürst: Pinot Noir to kneel down - The Art of Riesling

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A Day with Sebastian Fürst

Bürgstadt, Buntsandstein, and the Art of Leaving Things Out

There are wineries where the name alone says it all. Fürst. Period. Anyone seriously involved with German Pinot Noir knows exactly what’s at stake here. And yet: once you’ve walked the vineyards yourself, stood in the cellar with Sebastian Fürst, and understood how much obsession with detail, patience, and humility goes into these wines, you look at every bottle from Bürgstadt with even more respect.

My visit was long overdue. And, as so often in Franconia, it all begins rather unceremoniously. No big fanfare, no fuss. Instead, a calm, focused Sebastian Fürst, who enjoys showing just as much as explaining. And that’s exactly what made this day so special.

Max Kaindl, July 20, 2025
Reading time about 6 minutes

A Day with Sebastian Fürst – Bürgstadt, Buntsandstein, and the Art of Leaving Things Out

Vineyards, Walls, Future

We start outside, in the vineyards. Bürgstadt, Klingenberg – names that resonate, soils of great renown. But here, it’s not the soil doing the talking. It’s the people who cultivate it.

In the lower parcels of Hundsrück (vineyard), Sebastian shows me a project that means much more to him than just his own estate: the restoration of the old dry stone walls. Anyone who’s seen these walls up close knows what it means: manual labour, stone upon stone, hardly a machine in sight. It’s about stability, preserving these terraces, preserving a piece of viticultural culture.

A few growers have joined in. Too few, if you ask Fürst. But he’s not one to preach. He prefers to lead by example. And once again proves his talent for quiet diplomacy.

A Hint of Burgundy in Hundsrück?

Sebastian’s parcels feel like a manifesto for precision. He’s particularly proud of one specific project: tight planting density, extremely low-trained vines, top-quality plant material from Burgundy. Not a square metre wasted. The contrast in vine training becomes especially clear when you look to the neighbouring rows of classic German wireframe trellising. With this parcel, Sebastian wants to explore the impact of Burgundian viticulture in comparison to German methods. And where is he doing this? Not in some insignificant corner. No – right at the heart of Hundsrück, arguably his finest site. That’s commitment taken to the extreme.

In the Cellar: 2024 – Little Wine, Lots of Expression

Back in the cellar. The 2024 harvest? Tiny. Miniscule. Forgettable, if it were only about quantity. But quality? That’s a whole different story.

The barrel samples reveal a vintage treading lightly. Cool aromatics, firm structure, everything in place, nothing forced. If you’re looking for volume, you won’t find it here. Instead: precision, length, substance. No rush, no fashions. 2024 might well become a year for the purists. For those who know how to listen.

Standing Still? Not in Bürgstadt.

What impresses me time and again about Fürst is this quiet yet relentless drive for improvement. The estate already sits at the top of Germany’s Pinot hierarchy. And still: each year it becomes a touch finer, a touch clearer, a touch more precise.

Sebastian learned that from his father. Paul Fürst paved the way. Sebastian continues it. Perhaps not in revolutionary leaps, but with evolutionary precision. Always with an eye on the bigger picture: viticulture, landscape, the future. That origin is key – no one here merely pays lip service to that idea. It’s how they live.

My tasting notes

Spätburgunder Grossheubach, 2023

Still young, still a little unruly. Dark cherry, sloe, mint. A bit of flesh on the bones but kept tight. Tannins present but not pushy. A wine with edges but with heart.

Spätburgunder Klingenberger, 2023

Finer, cooler, brighter. Sour cherry, rosehip, a hint of smoke. On the palate, chiselled, with fine acidity and precise length. No show-off, more a quiet storyteller.

Spätburgunder Schlossberg GG, 2023 (Preview)

More depth, more density, but nothing heavy. Silky tannins, red fruit, cool herbs, a touch of graphite. Balanced down to the smallest detail. A perfect expression of the vintage’s class.

Spätburgunder Centgrafenberg GG, 2022

Darker, spicier, more drive. Black cherry, mint, a hint of tobacco. Dense, powerful, yet refined. A wine that reveals more layers with air. Great length, great substance.

Astheimer Chardonnay, 2023

Cool, stony, currently reticent. Lime, white peach, a hint of smoke. Lots of salt, lots of tension. Still cocooned but promising.

Bürgstadter Berg 1G Chardonnay, 2023

Riper, more vibrant. More citrus freshness, more length, more energy. Balanced, animating, very clear.

Chardonnay R, 2023

More oak, more volume, but everything stays on track. Yellow fruit, nut, fine creaminess, lots of salty grip on the finish. Not a powerhouse, but a balancing act. Very precisely built.

Bürgstadter Berg 1G Weißburgunder, 2022

Clean, proper, but lacking depth or emotion.

Riesling Pur Mineral, 2023

Crystal clear, stony, juicy. Citrus, apple, a hint of candy. Precise acidity, good tension, fine grip. Light-footed but never banal.

Centgrafenberg Riesling GG, 2023

More concentration, more density, more complexity. Yellow apple, grapefruit, stone. More substance, more tension, salty finish, fine tannins. A Riesling with poise, without posturing.

My Takeaway?

If you want to understand how Pinot Noir thrives on Buntsandstein, go to Bürgstadt. If you want to grasp why Germany’s top winemakers can’t afford to stand still, talk to Sebastian Fürst. And if you think this story has already been told, take a look at the 2023s.

Because at Fürst, it’s not just wine being made. It’s the future being written and built. Stone by stone. Vintage by vintage. And always getting a little bit better.