Weingut Ziereisen, Spätburgunder 'Tschuppen', 2007

Ziereisen time here at the Wine Rambler, and with that, a kind of follow-up on the theme of food friendly wines raised by the Wine Rambler's very recent report on Long Island wine growing. While Hanspeter Ziereisen's reputation was largely made by the massive and impressive 03 and 04 vintages, it is not as well known that he has since changed his style completely. Bored by what he came to see as the overconcentration and vacuousness of the "big red"- style he was then aiming for, he decided he would henceforth make the Pinot that he himself likes: Lithe, drinkable, and yes: food friendly. Avantgarde burgundian. In fact, judging by the wine under review, it's not much of an exaggeration to call Ziereisen a one-man french revolution in german Pinot.

A cherry red wine, noticeably cloudy from being bottled without filtration, the Tschuppen hits you with an electrifyingly fresh nose of sour cherries, earth, and toasted bread. The palate is dominated by gripping, razorblade acidity. A smooth hard surface of sour cherries and trampled earth, only hinting, after so much time and air contact, at layers of richer and mellower fruit beneath it. Leanly muscular, this is a young radical that proudly carries the banner of freshness in red wine. This francophile, jacobin Pinot brought me supreme drinking pleasure, and great expectations of things to come, but it will not do so for everybody. If you are sceptical about acidity as a prime component in red wine, this one will certainly be a little too outspoken for you.