German pinot noir?
 

Who knew the Germans made decent pinot noir? Light, crisp, with restrained fruit and a balanced apparoach.

Wow, that makes me totally sound like a wine snob.

But I like it.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/i-ChhX...22414016-M.jpg

Here in Germany Spätburgunder is fairly ubiquitous and you can get drinkable ones even in the €5-€10 range. I quite like them. It's amazing just how different Pinot Noir varies from region to region. A Spätburgunder has a very different taste than a typical Burgundy, which of course varies considerably from American Pinot Noir. You can also get good Alsacian Pinot Noir and you can even get a different style yet in the Côtes du Jura.

I'm a fan of German red wines (and Austrian too). Admittedly some are rather mean, but they are often very light and refreshing and low in alcohol, which I regard as being a major bonus. They are, essentially, the polar opposite of American Pinot Noir.

I love Alsatians reds, and when served there they are lightly chilled rather than room temperature. Delicious.

Germany is the third largest producer of Pinot Noir in the world. Regions to look for are Baden and Ahr. By reputation, the top producer is Bernhard Huber in Baden. A new producer to look for is Enderle and Moll.

I've been enjoying a few bottles of Chat Sauvage from Rheingau recently. It's made very much in the Burgundy style, which is no bad thing.