75cl
Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Rose 2021
Vendor code : 1338
Over the past decade, few producers in Germany have matched Bernhard Huber's consistency in making world-class Pinot Noir. Since Burgundy grapes were brought to Malterdingen, where the winery is located, nearly a thousand years ago by the same monks who planted the vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin, this should come as no surprise. The white wines should not be overlooked either. Julian Huber, Bernhard's son, is also a big fan of smoky, flinty white wines, and this is evident in his latest vintages. Fans of hedonistic, terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are highly recommended to try these wines.
Color
Rose
Country
Germany
Fortress
12.5%
Region
Baden
Producer
Bernhard Huber
Grape
Spatburgunder
Vintage
2021
Not available
The style of the 2021 Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Rosé is mature and terroir-driven, with clear characteristics of Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). The aromas of smoky berries, rhubarb, grapefruit, and dried strawberries are delicate and fruity. The palate shows plenty of structure and grip, with a mineral freshness that you don't always expect from a rosé wine, but which suits it perfectly. The finish is very long. Malterdinger Rosé is produced in limited quantities and aged for 18 months in barriques.
The small family estate of Bernhard Huber is located east of the famous Kaiserstuhl in the Baden village of Malterdingen. Bernhard became the owner of 5 hectares of family vineyards in 1986. At that time, the entire harvest was sold to the local co-operative, Winzergenossenschaft. Gradually, he stopped working with the co-operative and started producing and bottling his own wines. Over time, Bernhard also increased the size of his vineyards to 28 hectares. He became obsessed with Spätburgunder and its local history. Behind the winery in Malterdingen is a slope of vineyards, including his best site, Wildenstein, where Cistercian monks first planted Pinot Noir in the area. He believed it was possible to make world-class Pinot Noir here, so he set to work. Famed for his Pinot Noirs, Bernhard Huber passed away in June 2014, and his death was a great loss to the German wine community. His wines are often confused with those from Burgundy, largely due to Malterdingen's cool, wet weather and limestone soils that are very similar to those found in the Côte d'Or. Records show that Cistercian monks brought Pinot Noir to Malterdingen almost 700 years ago, planting a Wildenstein plot in the Bienenberg vineyard. As today's Burgundy Grand Cru proves, when it comes to Pinot Noir, the monks knew a thing or two about terroir. With the 2023 vintage, Julian Huber, son of Bernhard, presented his 10th vintage as the lead winemaker of the family business. It was a time to take stock, as reflected in the 10-vintage vertical tasting of Huber's Spätburgunders (aka Pinot Noirs) from Sommerhalde. These wines are often unfairly overshadowed by those from Schlossberg or Wildenstein, but in fact, Sommerhalde is another top-notch terroir. The 2021 wines from Julian Huber are among the best of this vintage. This applies to both the fine white wines (Chardonnay and Weissburgunder, aka Pinot Blanc) and the Spätburgunder, especially the Grosses Gewächs from Hecklingen Schlossberg. Wildenstein from the Bienengarten special site was not bottled separately due to insufficient quantities, so it was blended with Bienengarten. Sommerhalde 2021 marks the highest point so far and symbolizes a quantum leap. This vintage, the first organic one, was quite cool and moist, aligning with the house's preferred style. Not only the Sommerhalde—perhaps the best we tasted—but all the Pinot Noirs are clean, dense, and juicy. Thanks to ripe, very fine tannins and minerality, they are also structured and long-lasting in intensity. The vinification of red varieties often includes a percentage of whole bunches, malolactic fermentation in French oak before aging in one- or two-year barrels, and careful bottling without filtration. The use of new oak is being reduced. Everything is done to preserve the fruitiness, freshness, and character of the specific terroir. Alongside his love of Pinot, Julian Huber has a particular weakness for Chardonnay. He is a big fan of smoky, creamy white Burgundies, and this really shows in his latest wines. The current range includes the inexpensive Malterdinger Chardonnay-Weißburgunder blend, as well as the increasingly serious straight Chardonnay, Alte Reben from the GG and Bienenberg GG vineyards. They are well worth seeking out.
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