Reinhold & Cornelia Schneider, Spätburgunder trocken "R", 2001
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.
Comments
Unfortunately the most
Unfortunately the most important critics in Germany judging wines, kind of like the intense impact of wood that gives the wine more tannins and structure. But who knows? Maybe one day Wineblogs like yours will help change these attitudes.
Are you ever planning to come to the Kaiserstuhl one day?
In reply to Unfortunately the most by Patrick Johner
Oak is not always evil
I don't think we are necessarily against oaky wines. To me at least it seems that the wood has to complement the wine and maybe emphasize certain characteristics. If it does that, fine. However, if you cannot actually taste the wine behind the oak or, perhaps even worse, if you feel that an otherwise quite promising wine just had an encounter of the third kind with the carpenter, well, then it is a big shame. I like to be surprised by wine, whereas wood too often turns it into the safe and boring option.
I have actually been to the Kaiserstuhl earlier this year. Sadly, we did not have time to do any tastings or to explore the area properly. We did manage to try a few wines from Heger though, but that really was a drive-by tasting. I do certainly hope to return and explore the area properly.