Wachtstetter Pinot Noir

I’m surprised by how many people are surprised when I tell them Germany produces a good amount of quality pinot noir. I know a lot of riesling comes out of Germany, but that’s not all. German reds are worth exploring.

This one comes from a producer called Wachstetter in the Württemberg region of Germany — which is the area around Stuttgart. Over 70% of the grapes grown in this region are red varieties. The Wachstetter estate sits about half way between Stuttgart and Heidelberg, which puts it in the northern part of Württemberg and just east of the Baden region, which is most known for pinot noir.

Wachstetter is a family-owned vineyard with 17 hectares planted with grape vines, about 12% of which are pinot noir.

This is a very light pinot noir, from the appearance through the finish. It offers very pleasant aromatics, with fragrances such as cherry, raspberry, herbs and cedar. The palate is bright with good acidity. The flavors are dominated by cherry and pomegranate, but there is also a nice minerality on the palate. It finishes nicely with lingering cherry flavors.

It’s a food friendly wine too that would go well with lighter dishes.

Wine: Wachtstetter Pinot Noir
Varieties: Pinot noir
Vintage: 2015
Alcohol: 12.5%
Rating: 88
Price: $14.99
Disclosure: This wine was provided as a media sample.