Pinot Noir 'Tschuppen' Ziereisen Baden 2019

Description

Hans-Peter Ziereisen is quick-thinking and full of energy, and his wines get better every year. After a love affair with new oak early this century, he has tempered its use so that it subtly supports, rather than dominating the wines. Based close to the Swiss and French borders just north of Basel, he makes a selection of Pinot Noirs (and a host of other varietals) that offers both purity and value. His vineyards are on a south-facing slope overlooking Basel, the vines grow at an elevation between 250 and 400 metres, and there is a constant breeze, allowing slower ripening. He does not chaptalise, and uses 10% – 20% new wood across the range. The musts are handled very gently, with no punching down and little extraction. The wines are breathtakingly pure and long-lived.

A high clay content in the soil gives a rich, mineral-laden Tschuppen Spätburgunder (German for Pinot Noir) with notes of grilled meat and game, along with intense rich blueberry fruit, smooth tannins and fresh acidity. This has become an absolute favourite for our team.