BADEN

Some of our customers (particularly those from Baden) have been begging us to visit Baden. It was only a matter of time and that time was now.

 

MARKUS WÖRHLE/STADT LAHR

We were hoping to find great dry Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir). We found them at Markus Wohrle's 100% organic Stadt Lahr, first stop after crossing the Rhine from Alsace into Baden. Markus was an apprentice at the highly rated Pfalz estate Müller-Catoir, and did the unthinkable - he turned down the offer of the top wine-making job there to focus on the family domaine which his father bought from their town in the 80's. He makes excellent dry Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Riesling from vineyards overlooking the town. The soils are  rich in volcanic and alluvial deposits.

 

trocken
	Weissburgunder Kabinett trocken	2005	12.50
	Riesling Kabinett trocken	2005	12.50
	Grauburgunder Spätlese trocken	2005	16.99

 

SHELTER WINERY (KAISERSTUHL)                            SOLD OUT

We'd heard rumours of a great Pinot Noir from Baden. Shelter Winery, so called because Hans-Bert Espe and Silke Wolf started making their wine in a former Canadian Air Force bunker. Even though their output is miniscule, they quickly outgrew the space and are now renting part of a friend's new winery - actually more of a building site than a winery. Grown in view of the Kaiserstuhl their Pinot Noir is elegant and refined. Hans-Bert worked in Oregon for a while and you can see the influence. Could this be the best German Pinot Noir outside the Ahr Valley? We think so.

 

BERCHER-SCHMIDT (OBERROTWEIL/KAISERSTUHL)

Bercher-Schmidt are perched in the dramatic setting of the Kaiserstuhl, the “Emperor's Throne”, a huge volcanic rock in the Rhine Valley between Alsace and the Black Forest. The bulldozers moved in during the 1970's, increasing the terracing and more favourable exposure towards the sun - talk about Germanic efficiency!

Beate is quite the bohemian grower, also a successful artist (working under the name Beate Wiedemann), extrovert, easy-going and always ready to party. You imagine she never gets up before Midday. Her husband Franz, on the other hand, is the yang to her ying. Quiet. A calm, warm presence and restless away from his vines or the cellar.

When we called, they said, “oh, we're at a wedding then. But no problem, we'll leave the reception for the meeting!” After the Tasting they dragged us back to the reception to try the finest Black Forest Gateau we have ever tasted. Their wines are nervy and energetic from their volcanic vineyards.

 

trocken
	Weissburgunder Kabinett trocken	2005	12.99
	Weissburgunder Spätlese trocken	2005	18.50
	Grauburgunder Spätlese trocken	2005	18.50
	Riesling Spätlese trocken	2005	19.99