How is it that Germany is the third-largest grower of Pinot Noir in the world (trailing only France and the U.S.) and yet its wines from the grape remain largely overlooked? When was the last time you saw a Spätburgunder (the German name for Pinot Noir) on a wine list, or in your local wine shop?
Even we forget about them sometimes, and then a seductive little fraulein like this wine comes along and reminds us of the great heights German Pinot regularly achieves. This is no flash in the pan. It’s not just an excellent wine for the money. It’s a vivid and complex Pinot Noir that could trick even veteran tasters into thinking it was sprung from the hallowed vineyards of Burgundy.
Instead it comes from a cool, Pinot-friendly terroir in its own right – a steeply terraced slope of weathered slate in Germany’s Rheingau region. Many German Pinot producers in the Rheingau point out that their vineyards are actually a few clicks further north in latitude than those of Burgundy, no minor distinction when you factor in the insidious creep of global warming, and then there’s the devotion of producers like Robert König – who focuses almost entirely on Spätburgunder in a region more famous for its ethereal Rieslings. König has been at it for several decades now, and it shows in the elegance and purity of his wines.
In the interest of intelligibility, let’s wade through this wine’s cumbersome syllable-fest of a name: Assmannshäuser means it comes from the riverside village of Assmannshäusen; Höllenburg is the name of the specific vineyard site; and Kabinett Trocken is a vestige of the German prädikat labeling system, in this case indicating a wine of lighter weight (kabinett) that is also dry (trocken). As with all great Pinot Noirs, this wine is about site-specificity; Höllenburg’s steep pitch and rocky composition prevent it from retaining much water, causing the vines to struggle and yield less fruit naturally. The wine has good concentration but is in no way bulky, and König’s style is straightforward and traditional – no big blast of new oak here, just great purity of Pinot Noir fruit very reminiscent of fine Burgundy.
The wine’s acidity is bright but not sharp, elevating its complex mix of fruit (raspberry, strawberry, cherry) and brambly, peppery notes. Like lots of German Pinots, its tannins are relatively soft and its texture silky, but there’s also electricity and freshness here; it’s really like picking berries off the bush and munching them on the spot, especially when served nice and cool. Pour this elegant wine into your best Burgundy stems alongside some simply prepared salmon or steelhead trout while you study the label and practice your pronunciation. This is a name you’re going to want to remember!
