Sip of the Day: Salwey 2008 Baden “Kaiserstuhl” Pinot Noir
Last Friday’s post on German Scheurebe inspired me to talk a little more about the wines of Germany. I noticed that so far I have only covered German white wines on the site, so today I thought I should branch out a little with something different. Although Germany is typically known for their white wines, Rieslings especially, about one third of their total vineyard plantings are to red varietals. While exploring German reds it is possible to find interesting wines made from unique varietals like Trollinger, Dornfelder, and Lemberger, but the most planted, and most commonly used red varietal is Spätburgunder, better known as Pinot Noir.
That’s why today I’ve chosen to talk about a Pinot Noir from the Baden region of Germany. It is labeled as a “Erzeugerabfüllung” wine, meaning “producer bottled”. Similar to estate bottled (Gutsabfüllung), this term recognizes the producer’s hands on involvement with the winemaking process, but also allows them to use grapes sourced from cooperatives. This is important in the Baden region, where the vast majority of grapes come from cooperatives, rather than single estates. Baden, along with the neighboring Württemberg region, is one of Germany’s best know regions for Pinot Noir, so today’s wine is a classic example of the style.
Pomegranate and cherry pits show initially on the nose with thin coffee tones showing through and some very light notes of mushroom hiding in the background. Hints of crushed raspberries and wet stone open up with a spin in the glass, adding a nice little bit of subtlety.
Ripe but soft, clean but gentle, this wine has everything very nicely in order, with the flavor and mouthfeel in perfect balance. Crushed raspberry, pomegranate, and cherry pit drive the palate with tones of coffee grounds and subtle notes of forest moss adding some depth. There is also a very delicate hint of wild strawberries lingering on the edges and into a lengthy finish. This is a very pleasant and nicely integrated Pinot Noir that is true to the subtle German style. Well done.
Worth Trying. 90 points.
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The Grapevine: Ever had a German red? What were your thoughts?
