Pinot transformed

The wines we drink change over time according to fashion, climate and the personal whim of producers. But few wines have altered as much as German Pinot Noir over the past decade. Once derided for being thin and anaemic, and something of a joke in the international trade, it has successfully changed from the ugly duckling to a swan in a very short space of time.

As German wine expert Anna Kriebel, who visited Dublin with the German Wine Institute a few weeks ago, pointed out, Pinot Noir or Spätburgunder as it is known in Germany, is not new, with records going back to the early 14th century, and possibly even to the time of Charles the Fat in the eighth century.

Yet as recently as 2002, the all-powerful American wine critic Robert Parker wrote that German Spätburgunder is “a grotesque and ghastly wine that tastes akin to a defective, sweet, faded, diluted Burgundy from an incompetent producer”. Even accepting that Parker is a fan of big powerful wines, something few Pinot Noirs (and certainly no German Spätburgunder) is ever likely to be, it hardly promised a new dawn.

Germany is not alone in finding Pinot Noir a difficult variety. Even in the best climates, it challenges both grower and winemaker. It only succeeds in a few select regions, gives sparse yields and then causes headaches in the cellar. Many have tried but few have succeeded. The obvious question is why bother with such a fickle fussy grape? One taste of a really good red Burgundy (always made from Pinot Noir) will give you the answer. It is one of the most delightful wines of all, a delicious combination of soft, silky lightness and subtle power. “Velvet in an iron glove” is one expression used. Once seduced, many wine lovers spend a great deal of time and money seeking great Pinot Noir. Like great Riesling, it reflects the soil and climate from which it springs, so no two wines ever taste the same.

The revolution in German Pinot Noir was not without a few hitches along the way. For a while some producers, in an effort to increase power, tried to extract too much from their grapes or aged delicate wines in new oak barrels. The results were not pleasant. However at a tasting of 25 Spätburgunders last week, all available in Ireland, I came across very few of these, and plenty of well-made nicely balanced wines. How was it done? A combination of factors, some natural, have worked in their favour. Average temperatures have increased by 1.4 degrees over the past 40 years. This may not seem much but in wine terms it makes a huge difference. Factor in new and better clones, lower yields and a greater understanding of Pinot Noir generally, and you can see why there has been such a huge improvement in the wines. It has helped that the home market, hitherto forced to look abroad for good red wines, has been very enthusiastic towards home-grown reds, and willing to spend reasonably high sums too. As a result it can be quite difficult for Irish importers to prise allocations of the best wines from German producers. While prices are relatively high (Pinot Noir is rarely cheap), they still can represent good value compared to their near neighbours from Burgundy.

Germany is now a major producer of Pinot Noir, the third largest in the world, after France and the US, but ahead of New Zealand and Australia. It is grown in many areas but the largest plantings are in Baden. I have featured the wonderful wines of Fürst from Baden here before, but many other regions are catching up.

Spätburgunder will never be the richest of red wines. All Pinots tends to be pale in colour, as the variety has thin skins, and if grown in too warm a climate, becomes jammy and clumsy. In the cooler climes of Germany it will always tend towards delicacy rather than power. However, the best German Pinots offer a variety of styles, from a refreshing succulence to wonderful sophisticated elegance, depending on the price you pay. They have certain similarities to Burgundy but also have a character and style that is all their own. They are great wines to match with pork, game or duck, but in the summer I love to drink the lighter style, either cool or even a little chilled, as an aperitif or with salads, fish and chicken.