2011 Pfalz Spatburgunder Sankt Paul Grosses Gewachs

A misty ruby color dresses Becker's 2011 Sankt Paul Spätburgunder GG, a highly interesting Pinot Noir from the family's monopole inside the huge Schweigener Sonnenberg. The wine displays pure, fresh and fleshy cherry and red berry aromas. Full-bodied, fresh and fruity, this is a velvety textured, finesse-full and elegant wine; it has great intensity and length, but not too much alcohol. The fruit is very natural here and the low sulfur dosage gives it an extra vitality and salubriousness. There is more beauty and fruitiness here than in the Kammerberg, but the vines are still young and the wine will gain more complexity in the next ten to 20 years. This is Becker's most promising Pinot Noir.

NHB. Sweet black cherry nose. Aristocratic, confident and full of impact but without the surly face of the Kammerberg. Luscious dark fruit, assertive tannins, boldly spiced, this is Spätburgunder with a bit of a Rhône swagger. (TC)

I do not know whether Becker still indulges in the annoying habit of using the pick of the crop for a special ‘vin de table’ edition, but given the compact structure and substance of the Sankt Paul, I am not sure I would prefer anything more powerful. The smoky and roasted aromas of this Spätburgunder could easily unhinge some of the ‘lesser’ Grosse Gewächse, but not the sweet and ripe cherry and blackberry fruit of this one. Dark chocolate and a fine spicy tangent add to a generous expression, and despite the indisputable tannin content there is already an air of mellowness about the long finish. (MS)