Good nat cork, 12% alc, $22 Cdn
Medium straw color, nose not to aromatic initially but as it opens green apple, lemon/lime, more perfumed as it opened after an hour. But really not all that enticing I thought.
Initial entry thought was dry, light to medium bodied. Took time to open up with quince, apple but so-so acidity. “No citrus tones to speak of” from across the patio. More white stonefruit, subtle complexity on day 2. Also noted some sweetness and very good acidity as we drained the bottle!
Food was pork scallopini in a mushroom sauce.
I love good Pinot Blanc. I’ve always called mediocre ones “Pinot Bland”, especially many of the old OR versions that were pretty poor. But there are lots of good ones being made here now (Vincent, and Cameron’s Giovanni might be my favorite), as well as Alsace (Boxler, Ostertag, and I really like Trimbach’s basic bottling for an inexpensive quaffer that actually has character), and the best might be from Italy now, with Terlan (mentioned above) and Girlan’s Plattenriegl being two standouts.
Weissburgunder (the German name) from the Wachau. Hirtzberger and Rudi Pichler both make Smaragd versions from single-vineyard sources. (Steinporz und Kollmütz). I have had the Terlano Vorberg Riserva that so many here rave about, and I would choose the Hirtzberger over it, at least with about 5-10 years of age. I know the Vorberg is famous for aging and I’ve never had one with 10+ yrs. on it, so it may be different later.
Remember, Alsatian Pinot Blanc is often not pure Pinot Blanc, but Auxerrois (which is allowed in their AOC).
I love me some Weissburgunder…Muller Catoir…would love some Alsace suggestions on the dry side…I can’t tell from all those named cuvees. I don’t think they have a reputation for aging but I thought there were some famous ones from Chalone in the old days that was purported to age well.
Apart from the aforementioned Alto-Adige Pinot Bianco and the Austrian Smaragds, it seems that Germany does quite few Weissbunger GGs. Anyone ever tried one?
Good to notice that in Alsace Pinot Blanc can include a number of varieties so it is not necessarily the same varietal wine as in Germany or Alto Adige but nevertheless in Alsace I like Barmès Buecher, Marc Kreydenweiss, Albert Boxler and Remy Gresser.
In Germany although right next to the border and with some of the vineyards on France’s side Friedrich Becker is very good.
This. When given age, no other Pinot Blanc can compete. One of the most spectacular white wines there is.
Although I must say Cantina Nals Margreid’s PB Sirmian and Kreydenweiss’s Pinot Blancs offer good competition.
Many different Pinot Blanc Champagnes I’ve had have been pretty great - as long as they are Brut Nature. Dosage tends to make them excessively fruit and rather flabby very easily.
There are many excellent Pinot Blancs - called Weissburgunder here - produced in Germany, (Baden-Württemberg, Rheinland-Pfalz, Rheinhessen …)
and in Southern Austria (Steiermark).
No use to quote names since not all are available in the UStates -
once upon a time there were some really marvellous old vines in Savigny-les-Beaune…
otherwise, to realise the true potential of the variety commonly known as Pinot Blanc,
one should look for Weissburgunder –
from Baden, from the Pfalz,
from the Wachau, Weinviertel, Burgenland…
drank a twenty-year-old Weißburgunder Smaragd, second day open,
with Rudi in Wösendorf coupla years back…
one of the more memorable tastings since the turn of the century…