Claus & Susanne Schneider, Weiler Schlipf Spätburgunder trocken "CS", 2006

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.
A dark cherry-flavoured, concentrated "french style" pinot in the mouth, assertive acidity that needs a lot of airing out to integrate, a strong tannic backbone and geat minerality. Noticeable oak flavours that seem a little soapy and new at this point, which is my only criticism of this powerful, darkly fruity and spicy wine. But I think that it will age well and become better still, maybe even develop that addictive sour-sweet morbidity that you get in great mature Pinots.

Claus & Susanne's winery is not to be confused with Reinhold and Cornelia Schneider's in the Kaiserstuhl, although for reasons of alliteration and label design, it would have been more convenient for Claus to marry Cornelia...