Hirtzberger in the Wachau makes a very nice one.
From oregon Willakenzie makes a great Pinot Blanc especially on the leaner years like 2010 and 2011…
We have been liking both the P. Gris and P. Blanc from WK. Now like the J Chrisother and Cameron wines.
how interesting! I’ve GOT to find some of that wine. It looks like it must be the Rarity line that you’re talking about. I don’t see any available on WS, but I will keep an eye out. Is the Vorberg worth seeking out? That looks like the only upper tier PB from them that’s readily available right now.
speaking of Wachau,
I drank a very impressive 1993 Rudi Pichler Weißburgunder with himself in Wösendorf couple weekends ago—
persistent fruit impression, lovely minerality and years to go.
his more recent efforts are also quite attractive.
Just getting caught up on this thread. That wine was the one that, about 15 years ago, first got me seriously interested in this terrible habit of ours.
Intriguing to see Rudi Pichler mentioned. His 2001 Riesling Terrassen is one of my life-list wines. Would love to find his weissburgunder somewhere.
I agree on the Wachau - Rudi Picher and Hirtzberger. I have had them at 20 years of age and they are still great.
Also Au Bon Climate makes a very good Pinot Blanc & Pinot Gris blend with a very small amount of Aligote called Hildegard.
Its not that hard to find. Several stores have it on winesearcher.
Andreas Laible makes one of the best Weissburgunder and Grauerburgunder that I have ever had but sadly it seems that it is no longer available in the U.S.? Moore Brothers used to carry it.
Hiedler Weissburgunder Maximum (Austria) - my nomination for best pinot blanc on the planet. Great wine that ages very well.
strong words. As much as the Messmer blew me away, the guy who sold it to me spoke even more highly of Hiedler Maximum. I’m glad I have a few on the way. I’m really excited to try one now (as well as some others that have been mentioned).
Bitter as I am we used to sell it, but Eyrie and Bethel Heights make great Oregon PB.
Not recalling the exact cuvee name right now, but Cedric Bouchard makes a Pinot Blanc Champagne that is really interesting as well.
I had read about that a while back, and I didn’t think of it when I had this Pinot Blanc epiphany. Now I am intrigued. Do you think it’s worth the $150 price tag?
No, but I buy it anyway because it is so different.
certainly Maximum is not bad, especially for folks like me who don’t mind 14.5% alcohol—
I like Ludwig & Maria and their wines quite a bit…
but considering PB/WB in a bit more depth, I should mention a couple that I sell—
Ludwig Neumayer, Weissburgunder “Der Wein vom Stein”
especially 08; this comes from little terraces in Inzersdorf, a special part of the Austrian region Traisental where the soils are fossil-limestone, and Ludwig works clean and crystaline… like great white Burgundy without the oak.
Gut Hermannsberg Weisser Burgunder trocken 2011
this is the old Staatsdomäne in the Nahe, and the wine is extraordinarily expressive;
blend of Schloßböckelheimer Kupfergrube (volcanic) and Winzenheimer Altenburg (clay) …
beyond my current book, perhaps the pick of the litter is the Schlangenpfiff from Weingut Münzberg, in Godramstein, Südliche Weinstraße, Pfalz… limestone and how! gorgeous ripeness and presence;
…and their friend Rebholz in Siebeldingen, I hear, also has a nice one, which I haven’t yet tasted.
Not sure if this qualifies as great PB or good PB, but I have always enjoyed what Heidi Schrock does with this grape.
Checking the three vintages of Hiedler Maximum in my cellar now, none are labeled over 13.5% alcohol. I can imagine that in some years it goes higher.
Recently enjoyed a 2005 Schleret pinot blanc (Alsace) with a nice black fish dinner. This is a nice complex acidic wine that is a lovely drink but sadly Mr Charles Schleret retired at the end of 2007 … http://madrose.com/index.php/france/alsace/charles-schleret . If you find examples buy them up and enjoy.
One thing to note is that many Alsatian pinot blancs have “other” white grapes approved for inclusion. My understanding is that in some cases a pinot blanc can be mostly auxerrois as per this Josmeyer video…Gary
right, some more details are upstream.