Two faces of pinot noir

R

Rahsaan

Rahsaan
2014 Koehler Ruprecht Pinot Noir Kabinett trocken
This is exactly the kind of spätburgunder that I've been waiting to buy in the US. Modestly priced ($20) but full of fun. It starts off pretty typical with the juicy berry structure supported by muddled vegetable earthy spätburgunder notes. But with air the muddled vegetal notes recede and the juicy silky succulent cherries take center stage. And it becomes pure fun.

Lovely detail on a wine at this level. (Is that the new oak suaving the structure - would never have expected new oak on this basic cuvee, but it works). Hooray.

2009 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey Chambertin
Smooth glossy floral and savory. Very easy to drink and melds perfectly with dinner of scallops in a red pepper/tomato sauce, roasted mushrooms and roasted potatoes. Just enough body to stand up to food well but of course also some Burg-ish freshness to keep the mouth lively.

However, in the final analysis it's just too loose and too glossy for me to get excited.
 
Rahsaan - Nice note on the KR. Lyle has been selling some great Spätburgunders and according to his recent email blast it is his fastest growing category.

Try Pinot Noir from the Finger Lakes. Bloomer Creek or Heart & Hands are two that come to mind. I think this is actually the grape that excels in the Finger Lakes and your note reminds me of the ones that I have had.

Another recent Pinot Noir that was fantastic and a shocker was from Milan Nestarec of the Czech Republic. This is more of the carbonic style but still very good and I think inexpensive.
 
Yes. I have seen Lyle's emails. Some of which are tempting. But it just doesn't fit into my buying model needs.

Thanks for the recommendations on the Finger Lakes. I am periodically in the region (my mother lives there), so I should get back to trying the local wines like I did when she first moved there. (I quickly moved on to my usual European-dominated beverages)
 
Yes, with global warming a sorry reality, Spätburgunder has been one of the few beneficiaries (well, along with English sparkling wines, a category that I know you all delve deeply into). Coupled with the ever-rising prices of some of our favorite Burgundy (and Jura) houses, this means we've explored quite a few German producers. So far, I haven't had much to displace Enderle & Moll from my affections, but there are few new producers I haven't yet tried.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by VLM:
The Falkentstein Spatburgunder stopped me in my tracks.
Click to expand...

Good to know. It was actually between that and this KR to round out a case. I should probably get more of both.
 
originally posted by VLM:
The Falkentstein Spatburgunder stopped me in my tracks.
Click to expand...

I know they make a couple, but tonight I had the 2014 Falkenstein Niedermenniger Sonnenberg Spatlese trocken and it also blew me away. I wasn't sure what to expect but the fresh light crunchy Saar structure - that I love - was there, balanced by such succulent and (relatively) deep berry fruit. A magical combination.

I can see how that balance might be precarious and I imagine it could drift off into tart thin sourness. So maybe I just got lucky. But this bottle was rocking and rolling and I really liked what it had to show.

More please.
 
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