Pinot Noir
– undoubtedly my most favourite grape variety! Spätburgunder – or in my language: Teutonic Pinot Noir – well, how shall I put it …? Maybe not that undoubtful might be the most diplomatic version! Especially concerning those high-end representatives! Various
overambitious characteristics like over-oaking, toasting issues, over
extraction, jamy fruit, lots of alc. etc. in plenty - not all, of course - of those high-end Spätburgunders
provide me with head-shaking and other feelings I better won’t bring up ...! In my opinon there is far more quality to find in the entry- and mid-range-level sphere of Spätburgunder. Anyway, that's my opinon ... don't know what you guys on the net think!?
Today I’d
like to give an high-end Pinot Noir from Teutonia a chance to show me different
qualities. The representative for my endeavour: Bürgstädter Centgrafenberg
Spätbugunder R 2007 from Weingut Paul Fürst. Since the early 1980s Paul
Fürst is the Spätburgunder-Beacon from Mainviereck region in the very west of Bavaria. In recent
decades the Pinot Noirs and Frühburgunders from his most famous parcels in
Centgrafenberg (southwest facing red sandstone and clay vineyards, altitude between 150 to 250 meters) haven’t had
any problems to show paramount examples of fantastic and highly mineral driven Teutonic
Pinot Noir. Let’s check this one out …
The
Spätburgunder R's colour appeared vermilion red, highly transparent,
the reflexes seemed semi-sparkling and in the coronal regions already
slightly tanned. The bouquet was downright lean, fresh, very clear,
highly precise and profoundly equipped with various mineral features.
The fruit fragrances came from the rose-hip and tart raspberry
direction. Those appealing fragrances seemed highly alluring and elegant at the
same time. The mineral characteristics were pretty herbal, maybe for
me a bit too herbaceous, and full of dark mineral'ish associations.
So far, a very typical - for Mainviereck-Region - and profoundly
gripping Spätburgunder with fantastic qualities. The taste showed
similar aromatics. Plenty of filigree, clear and precise rose-hip and
tart raspberry flavours, traces of fresh and a bit bolder
seeming strawberries, as well as plenty of super present mineral
characteristics. For some reason I was under the impression to taste
limestone. A bit unusually spicy limestone. As you know from my introduction … barley possible.
Anyway, very profound and present mineral features. The spicy
herbaceous characteristics were gently dominating and
distinctively evolved. A feature I am not totally fond of. In this
case it worked beautifully. At last it is a very typical terroir
feature of this region. Same for the acid. It was very present and
maybe in given time a bit too “employing”. Again, pretty typical
for those colder climate Pinots from this region. The body was able to cope with it. The finish was
definitely very long lasting, showed a minimally
ethereal-orange-peel'ish-sweet-melting and unfortunately a slightly
pungent powerful punch due to its comparatively high alcohol (13,5%).
This last feature was the only real issue I had with this Pinot. With
this tiny'ish disturbing feature in mind a very very decent *****
cool climate, highly precise and elegant Teutonic Pinot Noir indeed. I
guess it is still a bit juvenile. Maybe better wait one or two more
years. Perhaps a little bit more acclimatisation is still to come ...
Oh,
by the way ... those mentioned "Basic High-End Spätburgunder Issues"
of mine were absolutely not evident! Very well integrated oak, very
precise and lively structure, no over-extraction, very elegant and clear fruit flavours, no marmalade, no
“Zuckerschwanz” etc. … just a bit too much of this bloody
alcohol flavours …. Looking forward to coming Fürst experiences!
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