This grape is known as Spätburgunder (=late Burgundy) in Germany. If Riesling is the quintessential German white grape, Spätburgunder can be considered the top red. The traditional style of German Spätburgunder is lighter in colour, body and tannic acidity than its counterparts from warmer climates.
From Baden's interesting, but little known sub-region of Markgräflerland,an area between Freiburg and Basel, named after the ancestral territory of the margraves of Baden, comes another unexpectedly serious, yet fairly priced Pinot Noir:
Surprisingly dark and dense cherry red.
Concentrated smell of earthy cherries, a few plums and leafy forest floor. Very very promising.
It has been quite a while since I tasted the sibling of this wine, the Graacher Himmelreich Spätburgunder of the same vintage; so sadly, I cannot really compare them against each other. What I can say though is that both are excellent Pinot Noirs.
The Trabacher Schloßberg ('Schloßberg' means 'castle mountain') comes in the massive bellied bottle Molitor use for their burgundy style wines. The Pinot has great colour, a very nice, intense earthy brown. The nose is gentle, very autumnal, but also fleshy; it showcases black truffle, rotten leaves, a hint of tobacco and black cherries, with a pleasant bit of vanilla and cocoa.
Wine and pregnancy don't go together too well. Which leaves grape juice. We have that at home from time to time anyway since our son (4) is partial to it. Today's juice, though, had little to do with the grape juice you normally get:
Surprisingly dark colour for a Pinot. Smells very ripe, black cherries, some marzipan and some smoked bacon. In the mouth well integrated, but still a tad too dominant oak, very dense and powerful, nutty, no signs of age.
Undeniably classy and powerful, this Pinot ranges between the "german" (oak, warmly nutty) and the "french" (tight acidity and tannin, cherries) style. Impressive and very yummy wine from Baden's Kaiserstuhl, but I would have liked it with a bit less oak.
Cherry red, with an orange-brown rim.
Phantastic smell, finest red berries, sour cherries, dry autumn leaves, a nice sour touch.
A bit morbid and smoky in the mouth, like eating berries by a wood fire, enormous minerality.
A melancholy, touching wine with secrets, like a trail into the woods ("down from the door where it began..."). Loved every drop of it.
