Apparently today is Pinot Noir Day

... except of course, we can't call it that. That's too boring for Pinot Noir since the main promoters of this are in Australia, New Zealand and the US West Coast ... so it is a #PinotSmackdown instead.

I can't say that I have ever knowingly participated in a "smack down" before, and I think I'd walk away from anyone who'd offer to start one normally, but this is about wine, not fighting, right?

So, to assuage my guilt in promoting the trend, I have decided to do what I can to twist things around a bit. This isn't a Pinot Noir street fight. It is more of a spat ... or in my case, a Spät (pronounced "spayt") for Spätburgunder

Their representative is Pinot Noir. It doesn't sound very scary. Sure, they added "Noir" to make it sound dangerous and impressive, but "Pinot" is a"friendly" name - it is Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, ... event Pinot Meunier which you may have seen on Champagne labels.

MY champion goes by the impressive name of Spätburgunder, which is really just German for "late one from Burgundy"

I recall in my earliest wine tasting classes, about 15 or more years ago, hearing the old, worn and oft-repeated mantra of how "no-one else can grow Pinot Noir. It is just too fickle and is only at home in Burgundy". Even then it sounded wrong.

Now you can easily find great Pinot Noir in Australia, New Zealand, California, Oregon, New York, Washington, ... even Chile and South Africa. What escapes many wine lovers is that it can also be great in places like Italy, Austria, and Germany (and even more places, I'm sure). Better winemaking, plus more than a hint of climate change, means that it can come from a great many places, even where it may not have been good in the past.

So, to Germany.

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This particular wine was made by a very good friend, Thomas Lippert, otherwise known as @winzerblog and one of Germany's top wine bloggers. We met through the European Wine Bloggers Conference and although I have yet to visit Weingut Clauer where he makes his wines near Heidelberg, I feel like I know him well.

You need to check out this 2 minute video he made for a tasting of mine:

He, very graciously, sent me some wines to try some time ago, and I saved this particular red wine for a special occasion.

German wine drinker's have discovered local red wines, and so they are all drunk in Germany and very little gets sold abroad. That is one of the main reasons you, dear UK and US wine lover, have probably never tried one. However, try to find one.

I find German Pinot Noir to have a greater leathery character. It tastes older and more evolved than you expect it to be. This wine from 2005 had all the lovely red berry fruit of pinot noir, but also hints of wilder berries, and even blueberries. But it is not just fruit flavours. It feels like this fruit has been wrapped in a tobacco leaf that should have been destined for a cigar, but was maybe deemed too fresh. The effect is still lively and crisp, but the use of oak and the dark character of the grapes, combine to make it feel warming and rich.

I paired it with a dish of duck breast and wild rice. A lovely, earthy combination.

I believe that my champion has acquited himself well in this confrontation with its cousins from around the world and I feel I chose wisely. I look forward to drinking more Pinot Noir from Germany in future and I hope you do too.

Thank you Thomas!

 

If, like me, you have a thirst, it helps to have friends Around Wine

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I spent a very enjoyable hour yesterday in the company of Daniel (aka @winerackd) at his wine shop with a difference. He doesn't sell the wine, but instead is the place to turn to if you want to make sure you enjoy the wines you have bought elsewhere.

Around Wine is a great place to browse the amazing variety of glasses specially made for wine by famous names such as Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, Zalto and more. He is very knowledgeable about the brands, shapes and styles... And also their shatter resistance. Daniel took great pleasure demonstrating how certain glasses tip without falling over, or don't shatter if they do. I have to admit that my own instincts were completely different and each time he did this, a shiver of panic and fright ran up my spine.

I also have to admit I walked out having acquired two "Olly Smith" design glasses by Zalto to try as my new everyday glasses. I shall be testing them tonight with Jolly-Olly-an gusto.

Around Wine is also the main place to turn to for wine storage as they are the UK agents for Eurocave. I can't really believe the number of units they sell each year, but I guess there are lots of home enthusiasts keen to store special wines with some degree of care that goes rather beyond my "under the stairs" solution. I suppose that of I had more expensive tastes I can imagine finding a corner somewhere for a wine fridge... but my wife, and bank manager, may disagree.

I highly recommend popping into the shop for a chat of you are in the area, if only to check out the glass variety.

In fact they've kindly let me use their shop next week to film an interview with the glasses as backdrop. Should make a change from the usual cellars and bars anyway.

Oh, ... and it turns out it is just around the corner from the lovely Galvin Bistro de Luxe, so technically you are around food too, so just make sure you go at a convenient time of day to visit both.

You are invited to a wine chat on Google+

I'm finding it difficult to find (UK based) wine lovers to talk about wine with on Google+ (the new 'social' network launched by Google).

If you are already there, 'circle' me and say hello, I'd love to chat and see what new stuff we can do there - maybe even try a 'hangout'

Now, if you are not on G+ then you should REALLY consider joining. The good news is that they are slowly opening the doors, and have given us 150 invitations to offer to friends, so the first 150 who click on the link below can now sign-up as my friends:

... but don't forget to drop by and say hello so I can put you in my Wine & UK circles

Cheers,

Robert