Pinot Noir Garden Party

A hot friday evening, a beautiful garden, excellent food and the promise of one of my favourite pastimes..drinking Pinot Noir..
We started with some white Asparagus salad..accompanied by a
Huber Weißer Burgunder trocken 2005..
light style..nice balance of fruit and acidity.
The main course comprised of slices of duck and some lamb filet...with roast potatoes and antipasti....you could choose when, what and how you ate...very relaxing..(the Greek idiot neighbour playing Techno music was not gonna spoil it.. They are still searching for his brain..poor soul)



And so to the Pinot Noir/Spätburgunder tasting...the information we were given..
2 Vintage 2005, 2 Vintage 2004 and one wine older..
3 of the five wines were from Germany..

I tasted the wines through as they were served....all had been decanted shortly before serving..and kept cool..(it was 30 degrees)...Pinot Noir tastes good slightly cooler..and the warm air brought it to the right temperature.


I then went through them all again..with the main meal and the excellent cheeses that followed.

As I drink a lot of the grape(they call me Mr. Pinot).. I was able to say the first three were Germany..I even 'thought' the 3rd wine was Huber..with his slighty dryer style.
As to the last two..as the Gravitas was a poor bottle( I had recommended the wine for the tasting)..and the host had made a funny comment.. I guessed the 4th wine to be the Gantenbein...all in all.... it was pleasing to give some right answers..not always the case in blind tastings.. you can easily turn from 'Expert' to 'Amateur'



1.
Waldumer Pfarrberg 2003
Co-Op Waldulm,
Baden, Germany
Brick red, reserved aroma..medicinal..did open
up in the glass; smokey, cherries,
fair flavour and a dry finish.
How can a Co-Op produce this..
well 2003 is the answer...

Points 15.5














2.
Salway 'RS' 2005
Salway,
Baden, Germany

A delicious Pinot Noir with a brick color and aromas of dried cherry, leather, earth and oak. On the palate it is light and elegant with sweet and spicy oak and terrific balance.

Points 17.5










3.
Malterdinger Bienenberg 'R' 2004
Huber,
Baden, Germany

Medium deep...dark cherry smell;
soft, meaty flavour with a dry finish,
dry finish..the Huber style...maybe too long in oak.

Points 16
















4.
Gantenbein 2005
Gantenbein
Fläsch, Switzerland

After my visit to Rebstock Guesthouse..the host also spent a few days there..and had tried the Gantenbein 2004..hence his wish to have the Vineyard in his tasting..we managed to get hold of the 2005.
Lighter colour than previous three; smokey aroma; some upfront acidity which was harmonius with the gentle Pinot fruit..improved with airing.

Points 17


















5.
Gravitas 2004
Saint Arnaud's Vineyard,
Marlborough, New Zealand
I had recommended this wine after my tasting a few weeks ago..
It was not at it's best here..a bad bottle..so really unfair to mark it.
I gave the host another bottle a day later..and await his comments.

PS...as much as I enjoy tastings...I feel that the wines need to be tasted alone...in the above case.. the Gantenbein...watch this space...

PPS....The host tasted the 2nd bottle on the Saturday evening...was very good....