A New German Pinot Noir: New Region, Cult Producer, Incredible 2015 Vintage

The First Pinot Noir I've Sold from Wurrtemberg 

A Totally Distinctive Pinot Noir

 - Darker and Denser than Our Other German Pinots

 - Explosively Juicy

Also a Rare Under $20 Red - Incredible Value

Leon Gold Is Incredibly Popular in Germany

 - The Pinot Is Small Production and Will Be Allocated at Some Point

I have been literally waiting to sell today's wine since I tasted it last year in barrel. I wanted to sell it last year as it was profoundly delicious but the winemaker (to be revealed soon) said it needed another year in barrel. It actually still is in barrel and being bottled this week. The winemaker is Leon Gold and the wine is the 2015 Leon Gold Pinot Noir which can be had for  $39.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. I am so excited to offer this wine for a number of reasons and since I love lists, here is a list. 

1) It is the first Pinot Noir I am selling from Wurrtemberg which brings my regional representation for Pinot Noir to Baden, Franken, Mosel, Pfalz, Rheinhessen and now Wurrtemberg. 

2) It's from Leon Gold who is a genius winemaker and was the cellarmaster at hipster favorite winery, Georg Beurer and his good friend is Andi Knauss, another cult winemaker and hipster favorite. Can we talk about the fact that certain German wines are now considered hipster wines? Germany, you've come a long way baby. He is the 3rd cog in the trio of Beurer, Knauss and Gold. 

3) The flavor profile of this Pinot Noir is absolutely unique and is unlike anything I sell. The Pinot Noirs from Wurrtemberg are darker than any other region in Germany but I also find them super enchanting and ethereal as Pinot Noir should be. But the unique dark fruit character is so distinctive and utterly delicious.

First off is the nose. Killer. Heavy. Deep, reminded me of Meo in a way. So much spice. A Vosne Romanee vibe for sure. A hint of sweet wood is so damn attractive. Leon is the master of saltings of oak. It's just an element amongst the panoply. The palate is just ... damn. The fruit is so plummy and dense but with an explosive juiciness. It's so complex and struts big time on the mid palate and the finish. It is a dark and dense wine yet it has superb "Pinosity."

I've had other Pinots from Wurrtemberg and the serious ones have a darker character than Pinots from the Pfalz. It is stunningly pure and sappy. The depth is remarkable and the wines is layered and explosive. Leon says the wine is for aging. I don't doubt him as this has greatness to reveal that is far greater than where it is today. And it's pretty great to today. I think in 5-7 years this will be up there as one of the legends of the legendary 2015 vintage. This is as serious and distinct as Pinot as I've ever sold. You owe it to yourself to try this one. I can see this one eventually being a get on the list now or never get any. It's only around 3 barrels and there is huge demand for it in Germany. 

As many of you know German Pinot Noir is currently the greatest value region in the world for red wine. Yes, the world. Why? Well, when you can get the top wines of the whole country for $40-$60 and many just right below those in quality for $25-$40. It's like if DRC was $60 and then say Fournier was $30. That is what we are dealing with. I think this is because of a number of factors. One, it's German Pinot Noir, which outside of Fass Selections is still a crazy hand sell. "Wait, they make Pinot Noir in Germany" is usually what most people hear. But not Fass Selections clients. You guys and girls will tell me about the regional differences and compare them to esoteric Burgundies. Have I told you recently I love you all. I couldn't give German away the first two years and now it's the hottest category at Fass Selections. Not possible without all of you taking a serious flyer on me. Well, it's that time again. I've got another. All the German Pinot Noir people and all the ones who want to jump aboard this is about good a wine as any to join in. 

This is Trollinger in Pinot Noir clothing and it's Leon's terrific 2016 Trollinger Alte Reben for $19.99 on a 4-pack. 2016 is a very good vintage in Wurrtemberg and Leon thinks it is as good as 2015. I don't doubt him. But I can say this his Trollinger has a bit of a cult following amongst Fass Selections clients and that is from the 15. The 16 is so much better. I couldn't believe it. It has that dark fruit character that the previous Pinot had albeit on a lighter frame. It has what can only be described as a purple fruited nose. You know exactly what I mean. There is cassis and huge fruit. But it is so fresh. So mineral. But this is not a wine you wax poetic the nose. You chill it got 25-30 minutes in the fridge and drink it too quickly. It's one the few wines I sell like this but man do I reach for it a lot. The only other type of wine I have in my cellar that is in the same family is Gamay and sometimes I am not in the mood for Gamay. It is the most easy wine to drink that I sell. There is such aunique spice on the nose and on the palate. It is deep, with such lively sweet fruit. Man is it sweet and dark. It is perfectly ripe with incredible acids and freshness. There is a pluminess as well but also has earth notes all over the finish. For how fruity the attack is the earthy finish catches you off guard in the best possible way. It's long and the dark fruits sit on your palate. This is an amazing bottle of inexpensive wine.

I sell fewer under $20 reds than any other category because most of them suck. Trollinger is a local varietal that is also known as Schiava in Italy which only the hardcore wine geeks know. Basically its a lighter red grape that is very common in Wurrtemberg and most of it is plonk. It's overcropped and cheap and much of it is drunk locally. It can have really big tannins for being so light in color. It's in the category of grapes that are strange and abused in Germany yet there are a few intrepid souls that lift it above plonk into a work of art. Muller-Thurgau and Dornfelder fit in this category. As does Trollinger. It has been planted in Wurrtemberg since at least the 8th century after originating in Italy. 1/3 of Wurrtemberg is planted to Trollinger but most of it is forgettable. You need serious skills to make a good one and in my experience old vines help Trollinger more than a lot of other grapes. Obviously old vines are better in general but young vines can be good as well. With Trollinger the old vines are almost the only way to go. Young vine Trollinger can be brutal. But when you find that one bottling of that used and abused grape (I mean overcropped with high yields, the vineyards look like jungles for some of these high yielding Muller-Thurgau and Trollinger vineyards) it is an vinous epiphany like no other. 

2015 Leon Gold Pinot Noir - $41.99 ($159.96 4-pack) 

2016  Leon Gold Trollinger Alte Reben - $19.99 ($79.96 4-pack)