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Alexander van Dülmen

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Pinot Noir

Barthenau, Pinot Nero, Hofstätter Vigna Sant’Urbano, 2008

Barthenau, Pinot Nero, Hofstätter Vigna Sant’Urbano, 2008, red wine from Italy

7,5 points

It has been some time since I wrote about a wine from South Tyrol (Alto Adige). Some weeks ago, I ordered a wonderful Kerner and I told myself to write about this very typical South Tyrolean wine sometime soon. And then suddenly, I had a great tasting experience come in between, having opened a 2008 Magnum Barthenau from the winery Josef Hofstätter. Basically, I don’t need to write much about this winery and instead just refer you to my previous reviews: Riserva Mazon, 2006, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, J. Hofstätter. But the wine is absolutely top class! It was worth having stored it for so long, because at first it was really thin and a bit too woody. The last few years – I do not know how long I’ve stored it – have done it very, very well. A wonderfully balanced wine that does not remind you of a Pinot Noir in the classical sense, because it is much softer and smoother. Although it has retained the alpine coolness, which I like about the Hofstätter wines anyway, it now has strength and favorable spice. There is hardly any note of fruitiness left, but rather a compact balance of wood, tobacco, dark berries, something like orange peel and a super-fine tannin. Great wine, classically made, but with its very own character. Definitely a wine that gets addictive the older it gets. Or maybe it is at his peak right now. I saw online that you can buy even this particular vintage in some places! So rush!

Continue reading “Barthenau, Pinot Nero, Hofstätter Vigna Sant’Urbano, 2008” →

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Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1999

Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1999, Red wine from France

7 points

For starters, here’s a link to my review of another Pinot Noir from Nicolas Potel – Clos Vouget Grand Cru, 1997: Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1997. If you like, please read this review, perhaps even first, because I wrote about Nicolas Potel, his wine-making philosophy, and the area. So I won’t repeat all of that here.

This particular wine of his is from 1999 and comes from vineyards of the area in northern Burgundy called Gevrey-Chambertin, so, still very much in the middle of famous Burgundy wine region. Continue reading “Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1999” →

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Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1997

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1997, red wine from France

7 points

I’ve hesitated to write about Nicolas Potel since there are already so many interesting articles and reports online about him. I also missed two chances to meet him in person. I’ve appreciated his wine-making for a long time, although it has to be added that I haven’t tried any of his wines younger than five or six years. Part of his biography is quite affecting as – according different sources – he experienced the early death of his father, whom he was meant to succeed as the operating manager of the Domaine de La Pousse d’Or in Volnay. He made his way and actually became one of the most relevant and legendary winemakers of Burgundy. His name on any label ennobles excellent reds from the Cote d’Or vineyards. He did not become owner of his “own” vineyard or winery, but, since very the end of the nineties, he’s been producing his wines from purchased grapes and wines. Someone called him a négociant – although I guess the real meaning of this description would fit the wine “dealers” in Bordeaux better than the passionate winemaker  Nicolas Potel certainly is.

Continue reading “Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel, 1997” →

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Riserva Mazon, 2006, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, J. Hofstätter

Riserva Mazon, 2006, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, J. Hofstätter, red wine from Alto Adige, Italy

6 points

Many months ago I already wrote about the vinery J. Hofstätter from Alto Adige. Please find all about it at Riserva Mazon, 2008

I recently opened the wine I describe but this time it was a 2006 vintage and a magnum. The wine was wonderful and confirms to me that 2006 was a great vintage for this region.

Continue reading “Riserva Mazon, 2006, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, J. Hofstätter” →

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Holger Koch, Pinot Noir ***, 2010

Holger Koch, Pinot Noir *** Selection, Großes Gewächs, Red-wine from Germany

6 points

The variety of Pinot Noir or Spätburgunder as it is called in German is pretty huge. Within Germany I wouldn’t call the differences extreme as there is some kind of characteristics of German Spätburgunder due to weather conditions but also the tradition of winemaking. This said there are clear distinctions among wines from wine areas as Ahr, Pfalz, Wüttemberg or Baden. So far I haven’t written about the wine area of Baden, not only because I actually never have been there. My first German red-wines always came from this area; probably the best know vineyards are called Kaiserstuhl. Kaiserstuhl isn’t one hill but small mountains in the very southern west of Germany. The name was given because German King Otto III held a tribunal at Dec 22nd 994 close to Sasbach which is a smaller village at the bottom of the Kaiserstuhl. These mountains are volcanic genesis which explains the very special soil of this area. Aside of this, it is one of the warmest and mildest areas of Germany.

Continue reading “Holger Koch, Pinot Noir ***, 2010” →

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Joseph Drouhin, Laforet, Bourgogne, Pinot Noir, 2005

Joseph Drouhin, Laforet, Bourgogne, Pinot Noir, 2005, Red-wine from France

3 points

Even though after I opened it two days ago it didn’t become an exceptional experience drinking this Pinot Noir of Joseph Drouhin.

First of all it surprisingly young, fresh and very straight forward. Secondly it is really dry and without some extravagancies. I read somewhere that the wine is fruity, but I would disagree. Obvious fruity notes as raspberry and red currant but there isn’t anything too dominant. It’s likeable that the wine is light, negligible tannins but still – considering missing character – balanced. A little bit smoky and with some memories of leather, that what comes along as well.

Continue reading “Joseph Drouhin, Laforet, Bourgogne, Pinot Noir, 2005” →

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Pinot Noir, Unfiltered, Peth Wetz, 2012

Pinot Noir, Unfiltered, Peth Wetz, 2012, Red-wine from Germany

5 points

I experienced a very nice surprise when I recently had an unfiltered Pinot Noir from the winemakers Peth Wetz. It is a comparable young vinery since they started own production only ten years ago. Nevertheless the internet is pretty full of it; certainly not only because of good marketing and publicity (they have a very professional and self-reliant webpage) but because of the quality of their wines. I haven’t tried anything of Peth Wetz before I found a special edition of them among the summer selection of the degustation subscription of Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Continue reading “Pinot Noir, Unfiltered, Peth Wetz, 2012” →

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Saint Salonuis, Pinot Noir, Abbaye Le Lerins, 2008

Saint Salonuis, Pinot Noir, Ile Saint Honorat, Vine de Pays des Mediterrainée, 2008, red-wine from France

6,5 points

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The first time I drank this wine was at Cave Crevette in Cannes. I was looking for something unknown and had asked for something really local – and surprisingly they proposed a Pinot Noir from an island in the south of Cannes: Ile Saint Honorat. Obviously being very curious to taste a local Pinot Noir, this wine became a big discovery.

We all know that there is one domain of Pinot Noir in France, which is obviously Burgundy, and that many people would say this is the only area for something authentic – which is clearly stupid – since there are fantastic Pinot Noirs also in Germany, New Zealand, Hungary or even in Southern Tirol. There is one other little island which delivers fantastic French Pinot Noir.

You would expect to find grapes such as Syrah, Grenache or Mourvèdre in this region, but certainly not Pinot Noir. For me, this wine is one of the best but also one of the most unique Pinot Noir I know of. It is somehow very voluminous but also remarkably fresh. There is a note of pepper and you might even think you detect some salt in it. The soil must be rocky and stony as the wine has some unique mineral quality. Probably this has something to do with the weather conditions but perhaps the wind is different than on the mainland.

Continue reading “Saint Salonuis, Pinot Noir, Abbaye Le Lerins, 2008” →

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