In Müllheim, where Max and Karo are based, the first grapes of the 2023 harvest are being picked. The couple founded Makalié here in 2019, on the edge of the Black Forest and just 6km from the French border, amid rolling vineyards and picturesque villages. The name ‘Makalié’ stems from the Native American ‘Maka’ meaning earth and the French ‘lié’ for connectedness, as well as combining Max and Karo’s names and shared vision as winemakers. The couple work with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Gutedel and Müller Thurgau, using grapes from their own vineyards as well as négoce grapes, which they harvest themselves from biodynamic vineyards across the region, working closely with the growers. The plots range across a diversity of terroirs; limestone, marl, loess, clay and volcanic rock all play a part in the growth and creation of the lively, clean and complex wines that Max and Karo are fast becoming known for. One of their two plots in Ölberg is affectionately named ‘paradise garden’ with numerous fruit trees and herbs growing amid the grapes. The plots here, along with those in Römerberg, are among the steepest vineyards in the region.
This is the first Gutedel from Max and Karo, made in a cellar shared with a fellow winemaker. The grapes are from their own vineyards as well as other producers, all grown on loess, loam and marl and farmed organically for over 20 years. A low alcohol Gutedel, aged for 11 months with 70% in amphora and the remainder in used barrels. Crisp, fresh and lightly reductive.