The photograph on this post is Spatburgunder in the Mosel. Image taken by Joelle Thomson.
Two new German wines arrived in New Zealand this year from Weingut Claus Bischoff. Both are sealed with screw caps, which is good news for their travel-ability and reliability in terms of freshness because the variables of cork, such as taint and random oxidation, are gone. Germany is best known for white wines but move over Riesling, Sylvaner and even Grauerburgunder (Pinot Gris) because here comes Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir).
It's a bit of an understatement to say 'here comes' because Spatburgunder has been growing in Germany for at least 700 years and over the last 30 years it has doubled nationwide. Today, it represents 11 percent of Germany's total vineyard area with 11,512 hectares today (latest statistics 2022 from the German Weininstitut), which is a massive rise from the 5,000 approximately that was planted in the 1990s.
Most Spatburgunder is planted in Baden, the southernmost wine region in Germany and home to two wines that are fresh off the boat in Aotearoa New Zealand. A wine friend of mine is part of the reason they are being imported to our Pinot laden shores and she shared two Claus Bischoff wines with me.
Spatburgunder, aka Pinot Noir, is also incredibly important in many other German wine regions, not least in the Rheingau where it has been planted since the 13th century. It is well known in many other regions, including, of note, the relatively small Ahr region, where it makes up 340 hectares of this relatively small wine region, which is home to only 529 hectares of vines and one of the world's most respected Pinot Noirs, which was selected for the Judgement of London tasting this year. That wine is part of the outstanding Weingut Meyer-Nakel range but that is another story.
The wines of Claus Bischoff are new to not only to Aotearoa but also to me. Each of these wines is impressive, particularly the Grauerburgunder, which has texture and weight and shines an interesting flavoursome light on a grape that can often be a relatively neutral little number. The Claude Bischoff Grauerburgunder is anything but.
Claude Bischoff wines are available at Puffin Wine Store or email jeannine.mccallum@gmail.com "
Here are my reviews
2022 Weingut Claus Bischoff Grauerburgunder RRP $39-$40
Grauerburgunder is the German word for Pinot Gris and this is a textural wine with impressive smooth, weighty and savoury flavours; hints of lemon intermingle with aromas of almond and hazelnut. A lively Pinot Gris with lovely complexity and flavours that show a stylistic point of difference to how we typically see this popular white wine.
2022 Weingut Claus Bischoff Spätburgunder RRP $56
Savoury Pinot Noir with bright red fruit at its core and hints of spice, a touch of earthy appeal and a medium body. This is Pinot Noir from Germany - dry, balanced, beautifully fragrant and fruity - and we can expect to see a lot more of it, as the climate continues to warm up, giving German winemakers the opportunity to put their best foot forward with their most planted red grape variety.
