The best of Pinot Blanc

Pinot Blanc, or Pinot Bianco as the Italian called it, is often the light bodied, refreshing inoffensive house wine with a faint hint of citrus and apple served in many restaurants that is often drunk without a second thought. True this may be, there are indeed some eye popping Pinot Blancs that could grab one’s attention, and I had the pleasure to have tasted one of these recently.

The wine in question was Weingut Stigler 2012 Weissburgunder Trocken, Ihringen Winklerberg ''GG'',  Weissburgunder being Pinot Blanc in German. Because of the neutral varietal character, the wine was understated at first sip although I could feel the depth in it, and it was not as appealing as the 2012 Grauburgunder Kabinett Trocken (Pinot Gris) that was served alongside. However, the wine shone and revealed its beauty when paired with food. The sweetness of the pork dumpling and taro pastry brought out the stone fruits aromas, which in return, enhanced the flavour in the dim sum. This was followed by the classic roasted suckling pig and assorted meat, which I thought might overpower the wine. But quite opposite, not only did the intensity of the wine stood up to the flavoursome meat, it also cut through the fat and brought a lightness to it. This magic combination between wine and food would arouse interest in curious consumers, encouraging them to explore more pairing.

According to Regina and Andreas Stigler, the fourth generation of the family, the grapes for this wine were harvested from the oldest Weissburgunder ‘Grand Cru’ vineyard plot where
the vines were planted in 1985. With Baden being the sunniest wine region in Germany, the grapes ripen to exceptional ripeness resulting in a concentrated wine. Partially fermented in lightly toasted oak barrel added further complexity and roundness to the wine. I have to say this is one of the best Pinot Blanc I ever tasted.

Baden is the home of Burgunders in Germany because of its warm climate. Apart from the Weissburgunder and Grauburgunder, We also tried two of the Stigler’s Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). The 2011 Pinot Noir “Max” Spätlese Trocken was an easy-drinking fruity wine made by the fifth generation Maximillian (hence the name Max on other label), and the multi-layered 2009 Spätburgunder Backöfele “GG”, Ihringer Winklerberg. The wines kind of reflected the characters of the winemakers - Max being energetic and vibrant, while the latter being deep and structured.

Andreas also makes a Riesling Spätlese, Ihringen Winklerberg ''EL'' which was not in the plan. In one difficult year, the Riesling didn’t quite ferment to complete dryness with some residual sugar left. The wine still had to be sold and to the Stiglers’ surprise, it was exactly what a restaurateur was looking for — a slightly sweet wine to match with food. Needless to say, a new style of wine was born. We had the 2012 vintage which was elegant and refreshing, laden with apricot and melon. I can imagine it would be fantastic with Vietnamese and curry flavoured dishes.


Weingut Stigler is available from Schmidt Vinothek

.

A snapshot of the German South

When talking about German wine, the first thing that comes to mind is often the elegant Riesling from Mosel or Rheingau. But actually there are a lot of hidden gems in the southern regions of Pfalz and Baden. I was delighted to see a few for myself during a recent trip there.

Riesling, the flagship of German wine, is grown in the south but it tends to be the less sweet kinds because of the warmer weather. Acidity is not as high as in Mosel and hence doesn’t need the sugar to balance it. However, there is more than just Riesling here. The mild climate allows red grape varieties to flourish, the most notable being Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), although Merlot and Cabinet Sauvignon are also grown.

I was with a group of sommeliers and journalists from Hong Kong and China. We visited eight wineries in three days, including:


Weingut Albert Glas, Essingen, Pfalz

A family winery established in 1950 and run by three generations. Grandson Dominik Glas is the one in charge of this 15ha vineyard located in Pfalz—considered the ‘Tuscany’ of Germany because of its mild climate. With a small production and limited resources, Dominik realised he should not spread himself too thin to cover all export markets so he focuses only on one, China. Bravo Dominik!

I like his wines because he clearly made them with the consumer in mind. Secco Passionfruit (a sparkling wine with...erh... passionfruit flavour, a surprisingly refreshing wine dismissed by wine snobs but loved by young consumers); Just Rosé ‘Black Label’ 2013 (a QbA category wine made with 100% Merlot and loaded with red fruits —and fun, according to Dominik.)

And don’t think Dominik only makes half-serious wines! We had the privilege to try his Cuveé Red ‘Grand Reserve’ 2011, a new, not yet named, wine. It is a blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Dornfelder with ample black fruits supporting the vanilla and cinnamon from the new oak, while the tannin from Dornfelder provides the structure for ageing. Only two barrels (600 bottles were made).

We were later taken in the back of his truck to the vineyard for a tasting of his eiswein with a view, and then treated to a homemade lunch by his parents. Their enthusiasm is visible everywhere. I wish them the best of luck in China!

Weingut Salwey, Oberrotweil, Baden
Another family winery also founded in 1950, the vineyard is located at Kaiserstuhl (Emperor’s Chair), a range hills of volcanic origins about 600m high. Owner Konrad Salwey first took us to the terraced vineyards via a steep and winding road where we were rewarded with a panoramic view and Konrad's explanation of the geography and soil type in the area, before returning to the cellar to taste samples from tank and barrel.

The best and the most typical grapes in Baden are the Pinot family. We tried tank samples of Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) from different soils and it was just amazing how different they were. Loess lime soil, being more fertile, gives a more ripe fruit aroma while volcanic soil contributes a mineral character. This shows how much impact soil has on wine. We also tasted Pinot Noir from different vintages to see how weather affected the wine. Thanks Konrad for a very educational morning.

Lunch, beautifully presented, was prepared on a make-shift table by a renowned chef, another well-thought-out bit of hospitality from Konrad.

Weingut Dr. Heger, Ihringen, Baden 

Yet another family winery, now in its third generation, run by Joachim Heger. The vineyards are located at Ihringer Winklerberg and Ackharrer Schlossberg, considered the warmest vineyard areas in Germany. The ripeness of fruit in the wine is elegantly supported by the structure so the wine feels balanced rather than heavy.

Winemaker Markus Mleinek showed us the cellar and I was surprised to learn that the German oak barrels are not toasted. The purpose of toasting is to remove harsh wood tannins but it will, at

Winemaker Markus and owner Joachim

the same time, impart toasted aromas (vanilla, cinnamon, coffee, etc depending on the level of toasting). German winemakers don’t want the toasted aroma (particularly in their Riesling) so the barrels are instead steamed to take out the harsh wood tannins. I learn something new every day!

We tasted 10 wines, including all colours of pinots (Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder and Spätburgunder). I particularly liked the 2012 Dr Heger Ihringer Winklerberg Weissburgunder

VPD Erste Lage for its creamy mouthfeel (the result of lees stirring or battonage) and the mineral, slightly savoury taste (from the volcanic rock the vines are grown on). The Mimus Spätburgunder is in memory of Joachim’s father Wolfgang, whose nickname was Mimus and who passed away in 2004. The 2011 we tasted, also from the Ihringer Winklerberg vineyard, had intense black fruit and well integrated spices from the 18 months ageing in French barrique, yet a mineral touch on palate. An elegant wine that combined the best of Old and New worlds.

Dr Heger is available from Schmidt Vinothek.


Riesling no doubt is the king of wine in Germany, but don’t overlook other equally interesting wines!