Max and Karo founded Makalié in 2019 in Müllheim, on the edge of the Black Forest and just 6km from the French border. ‘Makalié’ stems from the Native American ‘Maka’ meaning earth and the French ‘lié’ for connectedness, combining Max and Karo’s names as well as their shared vision. The couple met during their oenology studies at Geisenheim, having found their way into wine through different paths, and gathered experience in France before starting their own project. They work with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Gutedel and Müller Thurgau, using grapes from their own vineyards as well as purchased fruit which they harvest from biodynamic vineyards across the region, working closely with the growers. From the steep slopes of Römerberg and Ölberg to the renowned Kaiserstuhl, the plots range across limestone, marl, loess, clay and volcanic rock, all of which play a part in the lively, precise, terroir-driven wines that Max and Karo have become known for. In the past couple of years they have added a Spätburgunder vineyard in Tuniberg, 45-year-old vines on limestone with a loess layer in the heart of the Rhine plain, two Weißburgunder vineyards on the Ölberg and Römerberg, and a Gutedel vineyard in Kirchberg.
Gutedel is an ancient grape variety with a humble reputation, affectionately referred to as Frühstückswein (breakfast wine) in the Markgräflerland region of Germany and known across the border in Switzerland under the French name Chasselas. Max and Karo have been making Gutedel since 2021, but this is the first vintage from a new cellar in Bad Krozingen, where they share not only equipment but the same philosophy and ideas as the other winemakers. 2023 was a challenging year, with a wet August leading to Botrytis in the white grapes and vinegar rot in the reds, along with cherry vinegar fly (Drosophila suzukii) and hail damage just weeks before harvest. Sorting the grapes, always a time-consuming task, was highly labour-intensive, but the reward is a delightfully aromatic and ready-to-drink wine. The grapes were harvested from the limestone-marl soil of Kirchberg, along with fruit from 60 year old vines in Müllheim. Whole bunches were crushed underfoot and direct pressed, 50% in amphora and the rest in small, used barrels. 5% of the berries were de-stemmed by hand and added to the amphora to give more structure and tannins. After aging on full lees for around a year, a small dose of sulphur was added before bottling. A fine example of what this grape has to offer, this one is best enjoyed chilled.