The Baden region is the southernmost wine-growing region in Germany. Most of its many vineyards are found in a long, narrow strip between the Black Forest and the Rhine River. Just across the river you have the famous French wine region of Alsace. Although approximately sixty percent of local wine is white, the red Pinot Noir is definitely the most important grape variety in Baden. White varieties include the German-bred Mueller Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling. Baden ranks third in Germany for both vineyard acreage and total wine production. Slightly over one third of its wine production is QbA wine, the remainder is the higher quality QmP wine. Baden produces no table wine.
If you are anywhere in the region, you should visit Baden-Baden? This town, simply called Baden until 1931, is the center of a famous spa taking advantage of the local hot springs already known to the Ancient Romans. Baden-Baden is home to the oldest casino in Germany. This was where the famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote The Gambler. It wasn't only a labor of love; there were gambling debts to pay. Be sure to visit Abtei Lichtenthal, a medieval Cistercian abbey. The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden (Baden-Baden Festival Theatre) is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats.
Before reviewing the Baden wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Schwarzwaelder Schinken (Black Forest Ham). Continue with Forelle (Trout) done in dozens of ways. For dessert indulge yourself with Schwarzwaelder Torte (Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Cherries).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed Konigschaffhausen Pinot Noir 2003 13.0% alcohol about $15
Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. The hot growing season of 2003 facilitated a level of ripeness in the vineyards of many regions, including Baden, that was almost unprecedented. Expect ripe strawberry, cherry, and plum aromas and flavors. This Pinot would complement grilled salmon or veal chops.
My first meal consisted of breaded, fried chicken breast with potato salad, eggplant, and tomato salad. Perhaps because I knew that the wine was a Pinot Noir, I tasted the earth and a bit of tobacco. This wine and food pairing was quite successful.
For my next tasting, I started with a tomato-based eggplant salad and humus topped by very piquant Moroccan spices. The heart of the meal was beef stew and potatoes. Once again I knew this Pinot Noir was a Pinot Noir and I enjoyed it all the way.
The final meal wasn't really a meal. It was a late night snack of cold barbequed chicken. The wine was excellent and tasted of light cherries. My initial reaction was that the wine came up short, but after a few sips I thought otherwise.
As often, I tried this wine with two cheeses. The initial pairing was with a French Camembert, a soft cow's milk cheese that had seen better days. The wine became flatter, and while it was still fruity what a shame to combine the two. It was as if somebody shaved the top off the wine. I guess you know by now that German Limberger cheese can be quite pungent; this one was certainly starting to smell but interestingly enough the odor didn't really affect its taste. My Pinot Noir retained a bit more of its fruit than when paired with the Camembert, but frankly, why waste this wine with this cheese?
Final verdict. I'm going to buy this wine again. The 2003 vintage is no longer available so I'll grab the 2004 and see what a difference a year makes.
The Pfalz is a narrow region about 80 kilometers long, close to the river Rhine. The Church owned the best vineyards until Napoleon redistributed them. There are about 25,000 vineyards whose average size is less than a hectare (about 2.5 acres). Given their small plots, most vineyard owners work elsewhere to make a living. While Pfalz was once the number one German wine producing region, it now ranks number two in both total wine production and vineyard acreage behind its northern neighbor, Rheinhessen. In the Pfalz, sometimes called the Tuscany of Germany, temperatures often climb into the mid ninety degrees Fahrenheit (mid thirty degrees Centigrade) and many farmers raise "southern" crops such as figs and lemons.
About 80% of Pfalz wine is white. The most widely grown grape varieties are the German developed hybrid Mueller Thurgau, and the generally higher quality Riesling. Local red grape varieties include Portugieser and to a lesser extent Pinot Noir, better known by its German name, Spaetburgunder. About 10% of Pfalz wine is classified as basic table wine, over 70% as middle quality QbA wine, and the remainder higher quality QmP wine.
The German Wine Road crosses the Pfalz region. Virtually anywhere you go on this road you can find something worth seeing, worth tasting, and I daresay worth eating. The city of Neustadt and its suburbs are close to the halfway point of this road. Every October comes the Deutsches Weinlesefest (German Wine Harvest Festival) with lots of floats and a German Wine Queen. Be sure to visit the Marktplatz (market square) on market days (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) when farmers sell their produce. Take a look at the square's many Baroque and Renaissance buildings and its Gothic church whose north tower boasts the largest cast-iron bell in the world. If you're up to it, you can climb the south tower and enjoy the view.
You may find it harder to view the Elwetritsche, a fabled half bird, half human creatures of the Pfalz forest. You can ride through the forest on the Kuckucksbaehnel (Steam Train) from the Eisenbahn Museum (Railroad Museum) behind the main train station. You'll have to plan in advance because these trains run every other Sunday during the season. Finish your tour of Neustadt's Old Town with a few medieval lanes where you will probably want to eat, drink, and shop.
Before reviewing the Pfalz wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Grumbeersupp (Potato Soup). For your second course enjoy Gequellde mit Lewwerworscht (Cooked Potatoes with Liver Sausage). As a dessert indulge yourself with Schwarzwaelder Torte (Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Cherries).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. This Pinot Noir displays pretty cherry, plum and earth tones. It is dry, light-bodied with a nice, lingering fruit/acid finish. This charming wine's hint of tannin is softened by the lemon, while the cucumber and dill match the Pinot's earthier tendencies.
My first pairing was with slow cooked meatballs and potatoes, accompanied by a somewhat spicy red pepper, tomato, and garlic "salsa". This wine was round and long but not imposing. It was moderately acidic and held up well to the spices. Perhaps surprisingly I tasted some bubble gum. No it wasn't a Beaujolais Nouveau. I like to think that I know when I'm drinking a Pinot Noir, but such wasn't the case here. I finished the meal with a top-of-the-line chocolate mousse cake but the combination wasn't really good. The cake and the wine didn't meld.
My next trial involved a home made barbecued chicken that had marinated in a sweet and sour Thai sauce. The side dish was a specialty of the local supermarket, roasted potatoes cooked in chicken fat. Yummy. I found the wine nicely acidic and quite fruity. The wine's fruit was a good match for the fruit in the marinade. On the other hand, I thought that the potatoes would bring out the earthiness of the Pinot Noir. Such was not to be.
The final meal included store bought barbecued spare ribs, rice, and saut'ed eggplant in a tangy tomato sauce including the skin. The Pinot Noir was fruity, round, and somewhat earthy with a touch of tobacco that lingered. In a sense I finally realized that I was drinking a Pinot Noir or almost. The eggplant brought out the dark fruits in the wine. After the food was gone, the last sips of wine were powerful and mouth-filling.
My first cheese pairing was with a relatively soft and buttery German Edam cheese. The Pinot Noir was round and strong. Then I tried pairing it with a French Camembert cheese that was starting to age. I am not really a fan of ammonia. The Camembert cut into the wine's fruit.
Final verdict. This wine was pretty good. I think that I would buy it again, but not waste it on cheese. Also I am not at all sure that I would drink this wine when I'm really in the mood for a Pinot Noir.
Levi Reiss has sinced written about articles on various topics from Touring Italy, Travel and Leisure and Food and Drink. Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine German or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community. Levi Reiss's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.