The Paolo Veronese of Pinot Noir - A Swiss Wine Almost More Burgundian than Burgundy - Dujac Disciple - Unbelievable Wine

 Matthias und Sina Gubler-Möhr Niggli
 - Learned To Make Wine at Dujac, Méo-Camuzet, Rousseau
 - So Haunting and Ethereal
 - Style Here is All Finesse, Delicacy, Wispiness  
 - A Satiny Texture like Enderle & Moll
 - Think Bertheau in Chambolle or Enderle & Moll in Baden
 - In the Heart of the Swiss Alps
 - Remarkably Precise Wines - Almost Brisset-Like

2019 Möhr-Niggli Pinot Noir Pilgrim Maienfeld
 - I Gave This a 9.6 (Twice)
 - Nose: Stunningly Aromatic
 - Stop You in Your Tracks Nose
 - So Floral. Spice and Incense
 - Tree Bark. Incense
 - Serious Minerality
 - Crazy Dimensions
 - Palate: A Masterpiece
 - Terrifically Restrained Concentration
 - Stunning Purity and Grip
 - Awesome Energy
 - So Delineated

 - That Sweet, Silky Pinot Texture

Paolo Veronese and the Venetian Renaissance

We all studied the Italian Renaissance in high school. Michelangelo. Da Vinci. The Medicis and the popes were the patrons of a series of artists who changed the world of art.

The less studied Renaissance was in Venice.  Venetian painting focused more on color instead of line. I am

not an art critic but I find the paintings beautiful.  I mention Paolo Veronese because his The Conversion of Mary Magdalene represents the use of color typical of the Venetian Renaissance.  

Swiss Pinot Noir

For lovers of Pinot Noir, traditionally, the story begins and ends with Burgundy. And there is no doubt that the most iconic reference point pinot noirs come from this region. But that does not mean that there are not other regions in Europe that cannot make Pinot Noir with the same elegance as those in Burgundy.  Just as the Venetian Renaissance is perhaps overlooked by high school art students so are the Pinot Noirs of Switzerland less well known and loved here in the States.  

I would also point out that as global warming increases temperatures, the cooler climates of mountainous Switzerland are having a much easier time making the more traditionally elegant Pinot Noirs that Burgundy lovers revere.

I will admit there is good reason that Swiss wines are rare in the US. Switzerland is a wealthy country and their wines are very expensive. It's only because of my direct model that I can sell them at affordable prices.

The Style

These are some of the prettiest and most elegant Pinot Noirs I've ever tasted. They are haunting and ethereal. There is also structure for what seems like great aging potential.  One can see the hand of the winemakers' mentors (at Dujac, Rousseau and Meo Camuzet).  But there is also a unique quality here. The Pilgrim is more Chambolle but they are uniquely Swiss. They are defined by their delicacy and wispiness that is allied with extreme Swiss precision and a texture to die for. 

The Wines

The 2018 Möhr Niggli Pinot Noir "Pigrim" Maienfeld can be had for $54.99 per bottle on a 4-pack. A true Fass 4-3-1 plan but this is on the fast track. Drink one young but then I think in 2-3 years drink
another. It's really beautiful now especially on day 2. But this will blow minds at a super elite level in 2-3 years. I had two bottles and I'll include both of my notes for full transparency. Both were outstanding. The 2018 Pilgrim has some of the prettiest, silkiest, limber, nimble, satin-like Pinot Noir textures in any Pinot I've ever had. It is just ridiculous what this wine does with texture. It is so so delicate yet it has incredible palate presence. Just really starts with you but it's so skeletal and precise. What makes it special is the delicacy. It's not Chambolle but you can see the stylistic influence of the more silky producers of Chambolle like Bertheau, Mugnier.

My 2 Notes:

Note 1

Just an incredible wine. While obviously young it is truly elegant and beautiful stuff. It's got a purity to the Pinot fruit that is just amazing. The nose is a little woody right now but none of it translates to the palate which tells me it will integrate quickly (1-2 years). There's serious minerality as well. So floral. Spice and incense. So aromatic.  Nose gets more integrated and the wood has receded into the background after 45 minutes. Superb spice. Incense store. Under that a deep penetrating minerality.

The palate is a masterpiece. A Pinot lover's dream. So luscious. So much pure mid season cherry fruit. Hint of sweetness. So tangy, so ludicrously luscious. Amazingly ripe and just perfect tannins. Wow. Sweeter with air and just terrifically restrained concentration. Notable length. This is buttah! Love this estate.

On day 2 it got sick. Hint of wood spice  today. Huge Spice. Elegant and mineral. Such an airy, mineral, salty aromatic lift. Elegant. So elegant and juicy. Lacey, elegant and beautiful. This is as delicate as a cactus flower that blooms one a year. Stunning purity and grip. Awesome structure, sap and length. So juicy and concentrated. Spherical. So so so long. Late late breaking tannins. So complete. What a finish. So precise and delineated. It's got shape. Spherical almost. Super transparent.  This is a gorgeous wine. 

Note 2

Nose here has crazy dimensions. Insane integrated oak and so much class. Huge minerals as well. Just gorgeous. A stop you in your tracks nose. Tree bark. Incense. New nuances every 30 seconds. A potpourri. 

Palate is mega juicy with awesome energy and purity. So delineated and a masterful flavor hierarchy. Gorgeous cherries, elegant and just ephemeral tannins. Long. Compact. Amazing finesse. A stunning, stunning wine. So complex and elegant. A masterpiece. 

Again, it killed on day 2 even more. so Aromatic and spacious. Silky, sweet, deep.

And so nimble. Glorious purity and nails that  Pinot sweet, silky texture. So seductive. So complete. Very complex and just perfect texture and sweetness. 2 notes, same bottle, both a 9.6. Grab as much as you can before I sell out. It's limited as it's Swiss Wine! 

The Story

While we have dabbled in Swiss wine it's almost like we cheated in that Ziereisen has some land in Switzerland but it's really just an extension of Baden as it's only 15 or so miles across the border. Plus I work with them already and they started the project while that was happening so of course I got samples and offered the wines. But even before that moment I had been Swiss-curious. On a particularly intense trip to Germany and Italy I took two Sundays off in Switzerland. One in Zurich and one in Luzerne. The drive from Stuttgart to  Novara, Italy through Switzerland cannot be beaten. Just majestic views of rolling hills and sweeping mountains and the cleanest air one can imagine. That's the terroir of Switzerland for me. That clean, mountain alpine air and all the things ones associated wish that. Flowers, sap, pine, all types of herbs. Red currants. Black currants. Just an amazing freshness and cleanliness to Switzerland that is captivating.  The wines reflect this character and why I have fallen in love with them. There is a delicacy, precision and nimbleness that is uniquely Swiss and makes these wines special and world class. 

Möhr-Niggli

The vineyards are in the heart of the Swiss Alps and Matthias and Sina, the couple behind Möhr- Niggli, have about 15 vineyards and their own internal classification system. They make two pinot noirs wines which reflect the officical classification. They are all aged separately for 10 months minimum. They taste constantly during the aging period.  There is obvious evidence from the beginning of this tasting process which is going to go it to the 1er Cru "Pinot Noir" and the Grand Cru "Pilgrim." The vineyards are so green. Vegetation fills all the rows. They are sustainable and use organic practices. The vineyards never retain water and have top drainage and they have a slight altitude. 

2018 Möhr-Niggli Pilgrim Pinot Noir Maienfeld - $56.99 ($219.96 4-Pack)