Spätburgunder

Portrait

Spätburgunder is the German name for Pinot Noir, one of Europe's oldest cultivated vines, probably selected from wild vines in Burgundy. The variety is closely tied to Burgundy and reached other wine regions in the Middle Ages, often credited to Cistercian monks. Germany is today one of the largest growers after France and the United States.

The vine buds early, has thin-skinned, tightly packed bunches and is prone to botrytis, spring frost and viruses; it needs cool to moderate sites with limestone, marl or loess soils and restrained yields. Besides the atlas regions Pfalz, Baden, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Württemberg, Bourgogne and Alsace, it is also grown in Romania. Styles range from light, cherry-fruited wines to barrique-aged examples with fine tannins.

Pinot Noir pairs with poultry, duck, mushroom dishes, veal and mild cheeses, and develops earthy and savoury notes with bottle age.