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Burgunder on the rise
Man made or not, recent climate change has paid off for wine drinkers in odd ways. In the Rhone, vintages have been remarkably ripe for ten years (excepting hail-wracked 2002).
In Germany, a bigger miracle: warmer weather has changed the color of many German wines. Red wines now amount to 39 percent of wines in Germany. Most are Pinot Noir, aka Spatburgunder, Lemberger, Portugieier and Dornfelder. These new blaus are both numerous and good.
Very good judging by the dry reds poured by Julie Swift from vineyards in Wurtemberg and Baden.
2005 Huber Malterninger Bienenberg Pinot Noir ($59.99)
She reported that Huber’s 2005 Malterninger Bienenberg Pinot ($59.99) had won a Montelena-style blind showdown in Paris.
Not that the whites are shabby or disappearing. Indeed, 2003 and 2006 were so ripe and rich, that the traditional German ranking fails. Even the lowest ranks of QbA and Kabinett were ripe enough they amount to “declassified spatleses.” But at far less than top price. You have to know the law to break it.
You say your Riesling tastes minerally? What color slate do your taste buds see? If the wine is full of tropical fruits, the vineyards were likely on gray or blue slate. Areas of red slate are more rare and give a much spicier edge to the fruit, sprinkling it with cinnamon all the way down the finish. Some labels will give a clue, such as Rottlund (Rot = Red).
Could that be the secret to Washington’s great Red Mountain? Dispatch the rock climbers!
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