I have already heard so much praise about the Pinots from Wasenhaus, especially since they pursue the more elegant side of Pinot Noir, something that I have sadly been missing from a few German bottles that I tried before. This wine comes from the Kaiserstuhl region of Baden, here the vines are grown on weathered volcanic soil. Spontaneous fermentation after harvest, elevage in mostly used barriques for 18 months.
After opening, I decided that the wine needed some more air, so I let it sit in the decanter for around two hours. It then shows notes of strawberry, rosehip and tart cherry. Soon after, savoury aromas of black tea, wet soil, leaves and five spice take over. Towards the end, nuances of dried herbs and orange zest come through. The palate starts off with tart cherry, more rosehip and some dried herbs, black tea and earthy minerality come through as well. The acidity is very fresh, almost Riesling like and grants the wine supreme drinkability. A fine layer of silky tannins gives the wine some structure. A finish of good length and complexity marks the end of the wine, showing notes of black tea, orange zest, rosehip, wet leaves and spices.
"God l, I wish all German Pinots were made like this." That was the first thought that entered my mind after I had taken a sip. Pinot is such an elegant and ethereal varietal, too much new oak and ripeness will take away these qualities in my opinion. The nose of this wine shows this approach the best. It comes along with a restrained fragrance, not everything is clear from the get-go, but after a while a beautiful composition emerges. The oak too is masterfully used, it is there to enhance the inherent savouriness of Pinot Noir, not to overshadow it. To summarise things: The hype is justified!
by an_empty_sad_bottle