Philipp Kuhn, Spätburgunder Tradition, 2007
Again, it is back to the Pfalz, this time to take a look at the entry-level Pinot Noir from the Kuhn winery. The colour is quite dark and intense (for a German Pinot Noir), just screaming deep berry flavours. The first sniff already shows that this is not an empty promise: cherries, yeast and mushroom, but also black currant and a bit of mustard come together with leather aromas and a hint of chocolate to form a robust, but very smooth and enticing nose.
The same could also be said about the tongue sensation. Very well rounded, smooth, but not too smooth, fruity and substantial, with just the right amount of acidity to keep it fresh and interesting. A typical Pinot Noir, the Kuhn shows off cherries and berries (think woodland strawberries), and it finishes with a spicy, peppery finish with an unusual twist: an echo! What started out as a good, but not really remarkable finish suddenly came back a second time to grace my tongue with a final goodbye from the well integrated tannins - very pleasant.
A thoroughly enjoyable wine, Philipp Kuhn's Pinot even received praise from two members of our tasting group who are not usually attracted by red wine. If this is the entry-level Pinot, I cannot wait to try some of the high end reds from this winery. One to keep an eye on!