2017 Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Rosé of Pinot Noir/Spatburgunder Trocken, Nahe Germany.
One of my favorite Rosés this year, the Kruger-Rumpf’s wild strawberry flavored dry Rosé of Pinot Noir from the Nahe region of Germany shows brightness, mineral, snappy spice and a textured mouth feel to go with the expressive fruit. Georg Rumpf’s wines are very serious, but he also can do fun and playful like this Rosé, his Sauvignon Blanc, a lesser known Dornfelder based red wine and his Sparkling Brut, and I highly recommend the offering from this small winery based near Bingen at the Northern most point of the Nahe, where the river feeds in the mighty Rhein River across from the famous Rudesheimer Berg Vineyards and Rudesheim itself, almost at the point where the Rheinhessen, the Rheingau and the Nahe regions touch. Georg Rumpf is making some fine and elegant wines, in particular his Rieslings of course, which are are stunning from the upcoming 2018 vintage, both the off dry (fruity) Kabinett and Spatlese as well as his sublime Trockens, including his set of awesome GG’s.
The Kruger-Rumpf’s Rosé of Pinot from the 2017 vintage doesn’t lack for pop or fresh detail, though I can imagine the 2018 being more vivid and vibrant, but if you see this one it is drinking great and is well worth the price. This dry Rosé starts with flinty spices on the nose with rosewater and red peach and berry notes before filling out on the palate with that beautiful pure strawberry core along with tart cherry and a touch of citrus, crushed stones, sweet herbs and a wet shale and mineral tones. This stuff is super quaffable and gains some smooth creaminess with air, but without any sweetness or flabby parts, staying zesty and sleek in the glass throughout. Kruger-Rumpf’s coppery/pink hued Rosé is a pretty Summer wine and it should not be overlooked, especially for the price, and after tasting through their samples of 2017 and 2018 wines recently, this is a winery to stock up on!
($17 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive