2011 Weingut Meyer-Nakel, Pinot Noir S, Dernau, AHR Germany.
Werner Nakel, The Red Baron, makes some of the world’s finest and sought after Pinot Noir period, these are gorgeous and generous wines that without question rival the best of Burgundy and beyond. Werner and his family were pioneers in Trocken Spatburgunder and are dedicated artisans farming old vines in the Ahr region of Germany, the northern most site for serious red wines in the whole country. The Ahr was founded as a wine region by the Romans and it is one of the smallest regions in Germany with steep south facing vineyards set on blue, weathered slate and greywacke soils, and while tricky, this microclimate produces majestic Pinot Noir, especially the wines of Meyer-Nakel. Decanter Magazine has awarded Meyer-Nakel “Best Pinot Noir in the World” in exhaustive blind tastings against wines from cur sites in Burgundy, New Zealand, California and Oregon, and I myself have tasted 1,000’s of Pinot Noir wines and can honestly say the Meyer-Nakel wines are that good. I took quite an effort to find Meyer-Nakel, but it was worth it, I even went to Germany to get a few bottles, back in 2009, and this year I managed to rustle up a six pack of the 2011 Meyer-Nakel S Pinot Noir, and I couldn’t help but open one within hours. For me the Meyer-Nakel wines have the same excitement as greats like Beaux Freres, Pisoni Estate, Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche and Meo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanee, they are modern and lush with dark fruit and clean with new French oak influence. There is something very special about Pinot Noir grown on slate, it has an extra dimension of mineral, spice and terroir that really appeals to me and the wines of Meyer-Nakel, August Kesseler and Becker are all fantastic examples of what great German Pinot can achieve. The 2011 Weingut Meyer-Nakel, Pinot Noir S, Dernau Ahr, Germany is deeply colored, super lavish in body, texture and flavors with an amazing array in bouquet and palate, there’s roses, cassis, flinty smoke, mocha, violets, black cherry, cola bean, red pepper and mixed berry. This sublime Pinot weighs in at 14%, and is perfectly ripe and full of intensity, character and charm with an exceptional finish, while remaining youthful, fresh and vibrant throughout. A lingering blueberry and plum plus savory mineral essence last forever in the mouth, this is ultra impressive wine that in all honesty should get even better in another 3-5 years, though I cannot imagine my 5 bottles lasting that long, sadly.
($60 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive
