I was in Berlin in the days of yore when the Berlin Wall was “up and running”. At night lit up it was particularly eerie with bright lights and East German soldiers with dogs patrolling and East German soldiers patrolling the patrolling East German soldiers for fear they’d somehow make a break for it. And at the British Officers Club across the river was East Berlin. Many an Eastern Berliner had been shot dead in the water trying to escape to West Berlin. How I ended up in the British Officers Club in the British sector of West Berlin is a good story as well having my Canadian passport thrown in my face by DDR border guards. My middle name is Kennedy not a name favoured in East Berlin. Ever thought your middle name might propel you into a gulag!
Has there been a wall in Germany preventing any wine but Riesling making it to the shores of Canada? Over the years a few German Pinot Noirs (aka Spätburgunder) have trickled into Canada. There is an increased trickle of Spätburgunder limping into Canada and they are usually good and attractively priced.
We try a Tugana Estate 2019 Pinot Noir with a rather unGermanic name and label.
Aroma: A couple months ago I tried a New Zealand Pinot Noir absolutely decimated by oak. If you are going to oak Pinot Noir do it with second or third fill barrels preferably French. Like do you want to give a ballerina the same amount of steroids as a weightlifter? I had that bad too much oak feeling but gave it 20 minutes to breathe and most of the oak vanished leaving too much oak to my liking but the fruit emerged. Blackberry, black raspberry, cranberry and milk chocolate.
Palate: Grainy tannins. Disciplined acids. Long lingering finish. Blackberry and cassis. Aggressive style of Pinot Noir.
Personality: Hefty, blunt and to the point. Please don’t call me a “Woody the Woodpecker”! I feel there is a noose of too much wood awaiting me.
Food Match: Hefty enough for pig knuckles.
Cellarbility: Will further confinement in the bottle soften this hardliner if not polemic Pinot Noir? I don’t think that the case.
Price: $23 CDN (Ontario).
RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 76/100.
(Tugana, Spätburgunder 2019, Baden, Weinhaus Tugana, Gottenheim, Germany, 750 mL, 13.5%).
Set the Bar 