Kreuzberg – upping its game in the Ahr

Since the 1990s the estate of H J Kreuzberg has been a regular contender in the Ahr wine region, always high up in the hierarchy of producers but never quite at the top. Meyer-Näkel, Deutzerhof and Stodden headed the rankings at various times, but when they were awarded four grapes or stars in the wine guides Kreuzberg got three. When I first tasted their Spätburgunders in 2000, I was instantly smitten, particularly since they seemed to offer slightly better value than their illustrious rivals, even if they were not cheap.

The estate was founded in 1953, when Hans-Josef Kreuzberg broke...