From Centgrafenberg - One of the Great Vineyards of Germany
2007 Josef Walter Frühburgunder Centgrafenberg "J"
- Incredibly Complexity on the Palate
- Classic Fruh Floral Notes and Spice
2005 Josef Walter Frühburghnder Centrgrafenberg "J"
- In Its Prime
- Powerfully Aromatic
- Remarkably Vivid Rasberry Fruit
2008 Josef Walter Spatburgunder Centgrafenberg "J"
- Like '98 in Burgundy with Better Ripeness and Killer Acids
- Incredible Power, Terrific Minerality and Freshness
Some day, this is going to be looked at as one of the great deals in the history of the wine world. German pinot noir is starting to get some recognition outside of Germany but it's still way underpriced. And because Christophe Walter doesn't do much marketing, his wines are even more underpriced than most of the other top producers. Plus these are all aged and in their drinking windows and direct from the estate. Wines of this quality, provenance and age would cost at least $100 from Burgundy. World class pinot noir with the perfect amount of age is a life changing experience. To get these bottles at these prices is a gift.Christophe is holding the last few cases of each of these for me and I had to offer these as this is an
incredible and unique opportunity. If you like Pinot Noir, you need to try the Fruhburgunders. They are very rare and hard to get and a particularly aromatic and spicy version of Pinot Noir. I've always loved them and wanted to offer them and am thrilled to be able to sell these limited quantities of aged Fruhburgunder. I have much less of the 2005 than the 2007 or 2008.
The 2007
Up first I have the 2007 Josef Walter Frühburgunder Centgrafenberg which can be had for $39.99 each on a 3-pack. This is awesome like the 2005 albeit a bit younger. Still needs 30 minutes to breathe but once it does watch out! The wine is insane. What a nose. Classic expressive Fruhburgunder violets and super floral. Amazing purity and depth to the aromas. Sappy and juicy with lovely purple fruits and what sweetness and flavor authority. Stunning complexity. It's compelling how sweet it is. Layered and very complex. Aromatic that is like a violet rainstorm with sappy wet earth and minerals. Big black cherries burst in your mouth as well and so much classic Fruh spice echoes on the finish. So intense and so sappy with terrific flavor authority. More structured and dense than the below 2005 due to its relative youth but still such a treat. So complex and hedonistic. I adore how heodonistic Frühburgunder can get. I think this will be best in 2-3 years but is a joy to drink now. It will eclipse the 2005 once it has a few years more of age on it.
The 2005
Next up is the 2005 Josef Walter Frühburghnder Centrgrafenberg "J" for $39.99 per bottle on a 3-pack. I have 2/3rds less of this than the 2007 but both are equal quality. Who can say they've had 12 year old Frühburgunder from a Grand Cru site in Germany? I'm waiting. Okay, I just literally did a load of laundry and I'm still waiting. No one has and that included me up until last year. The 2005 is in my opinion a stunningly perfect example of aged Frühburgunder from the Centrgrafenberg, which I believe is the best vineyard in the world for his grape. I've tasted a lot of Früburgunder and can confidently say this. It has a sick and very aromatic nose of fire and brimstone with classic Früh violets and succulent red and black fruits. Almost a mesquite like BBQ intensity. Amazingly vivid raspberries. You will smell this for days on end. It's so aromatic. Intoxicating. The palate is just perfect and almost fully resolved with there but not there sweet tannins and flavors in more tertiary and secondary land. The wine is just so soft and has that fully resolved fruit and melty sweet tannins on my palate. It glides and has a wonderful semi opulent texture as 2005 was warm. This is something to be drunk over the next 2-3 years and it is peaking. The aged quality combined with freshness is what sets this apart. It is so good and thought provoking and shows me 09 and 10 have a ways to go. Stunning wine and fully in its window. And under $40 from one of the great vineyards in Germany.
The 2008 Spatburgunder Centgrafenberg "J"
This is just below Hundsruck in the quality hierarchy at Walter. The "J" is the indicator for that. This is just another epic wine from one of the most monumental and overlooked vintages for Spatburgunder in all of Germany. The only comparison I can make is Burgundy. It's like '98 in Burgundy but with better ripeness and killer acids that ensure these will live a very long time. Huge nose. Panoply of spice, bowl of dark cherries. Hints of tea. So many black and red cherries and berries. Big cigar box as well with terrific minerality and insane freshness. Very concentrated and powerful. Gorgeous sweet fruit, refined and elegant tannins. Big acid (it is 2008 after all) with a long and elegant finish and that acid again on the deep backend. Insane freshness and purity on the very, very long finish. This is so utterly refined and drop dead pure. It's just a masterpiece in a different way from the previous 2 wines. It's also something I see lasting for 10-15 more years. No joke.
2007 Josef Walter Frühburgunder Centgrafenberg - $41.99
($159.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)
2005 Josef Walter Frühburgunder Centgrafenberg -
$41.99
($159.96 4-pack) (SOLD OUT)
2008 Josef Walter Spatburgunder Centgrafenberg - $41.99
($159.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)
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