Enderle & Moll
Buntsandstein Pinot Noir
Baden, Germany
My oh my oh my. Let me first try to describe this as objectively as I can before I start babbling in tongues about why it's awesome. So, okay, we'll start with the color, which is somewhere between a rosé and a pale red. That's as good a portent as any for what you get when you taste it, which is this ethereal, gossamer, lacy thing that would probably flutter to the earth even slower than a feather if it were a solid object. It has a sense of freshness and light without being overtly fruity, i.e. it features the freshness and essential perfume of the fruit without the sweetness or fat. It has a minerally element too, subtle (though everything about this is subtle) but clearly reminiscent of gravelly rock pulverized to an ultrafine powder (everything about this is ultrafine). The word "finesse" is a cliché, ditto for "ethereal," but ultimately that's what's so awesome about this. I have had a lot of disappointing German pinot noir, even from highly regarded producers, and they never turn out to be what you think German pinot noir ought to be (i.e., as clear and pure and transparent as riesling, with all that cool-climate lightness). Somehow some of them turn out to be big fat Sonoma pinot lookalikes, which I will never understand. This is not like that. I am really at a loss to think of anything from anywhere to compare this to that so effortlessly pulls off such a vivid personality out of material so fine it only barely seems to have a corporeal existence, and not a flaw or seam to be seen in the way it is all put together. I can think of a Jura pinot that was in the ballpark (the '08 Chais des Vieux Bourg) and the weight and physical presence bring to mind something like Coteaux Champenois or the Dirty & Rowdy reds, but as far as I am concerned this is sui generis. There are aspects that bring to mind all sorts of things but it really needs its own frame of reference. It is profound but not in the same way that grand cru Burgundy is profound; it's a brilliant soloist, not a symphony, almost minimalist in its simplicity and tranquility, best paired with your favorite easy chair and some quiet moments.
My oh my oh my. Let me first try to describe this as objectively as I can before I start babbling in tongues about why it's awesome. So, okay, we'll start with the color, which is somewhere between a rosé and a pale red. That's as good a portent as any for what you get when you taste it, which is this ethereal, gossamer, lacy thing that would probably flutter to the earth even slower than a feather if it were a solid object. It has a sense of freshness and light without being overtly fruity, i.e. it features the freshness and essential perfume of the fruit without the sweetness or fat. It has a minerally element too, subtle (though everything about this is subtle) but clearly reminiscent of gravelly rock pulverized to an ultrafine powder (everything about this is ultrafine). The word "finesse" is a cliché, ditto for "ethereal," but ultimately that's what's so awesome about this. I have had a lot of disappointing German pinot noir, even from highly regarded producers, and they never turn out to be what you think German pinot noir ought to be (i.e., as clear and pure and transparent as riesling, with all that cool-climate lightness). Somehow some of them turn out to be big fat Sonoma pinot lookalikes, which I will never understand. This is not like that. I am really at a loss to think of anything from anywhere to compare this to that so effortlessly pulls off such a vivid personality out of material so fine it only barely seems to have a corporeal existence, and not a flaw or seam to be seen in the way it is all put together. I can think of a Jura pinot that was in the ballpark (the '08 Chais des Vieux Bourg) and the weight and physical presence bring to mind something like Coteaux Champenois or the Dirty & Rowdy reds, but as far as I am concerned this is sui generis. There are aspects that bring to mind all sorts of things but it really needs its own frame of reference. It is profound but not in the same way that grand cru Burgundy is profound; it's a brilliant soloist, not a symphony, almost minimalist in its simplicity and tranquility, best paired with your favorite easy chair and some quiet moments.
6 people found it helpfulMay 12th, 2015
Enderle & Moll pushing boundaries and take German Pinot to the next level. Of course its funky. Of course its not everybodys darling. But give it a chance. No So2 bottling. Although no "dirty" notes. Very fresh & lean. Rocking wine!
Enderle & Moll pushing boundaries and take German Pinot to the next level. Of course its funky. Of course its not everybodys darling. But give it a chance. No So2 bottling. Although no "dirty" notes. Very fresh & lean. Rocking wine!
Oct 17th, 2015
Very light color. Tinge brown. Dark cherry nose. In the glass earth, raspberries, hint mexican lime. Touch crushed marble. Orange zest. Tannins almost fully resolved. Plenty of acid. Has a couple of years left. A benchmark Pinot from one of Germany’s best vigneron’s.
Very light color. Tinge brown. Dark cherry nose. In the glass earth, raspberries, hint mexican lime. Touch crushed marble. Orange zest. Tannins almost fully resolved. Plenty of acid. Has a couple of years left. A benchmark Pinot from one of Germany’s best vigneron’s.
Jul 26th, 2024
Gorgeous right out of the gate. Like, had to beat back my dinner guests with a stick. That kind of gorgeous.
Gorgeous right out of the gate. Like, had to beat back my dinner guests with a stick. That kind of gorgeous.
Dec 11th, 2017
Light color. Floral and strawberry on nose limited body mid palate acid was good. Needed a bit more fruit in mouth to balance
Light color. Floral and strawberry on nose limited body mid palate acid was good. Needed a bit more fruit in mouth to balance
Aug 12th, 2017
This is one of those wines where u just want to be alone with the glass and watch it unfold.
This is one of those wines where u just want to be alone with the glass and watch it unfold.
May 13th, 2017Very consistent E&M style and unbeleavable under prized and ultra rare 1-3 barrels a year a Grand Cru.
I hope you are one day one of the lucky few who will taste this.! A ridicules wine needs more time. Less debts and complexity than the 2010 which was one of the best wines I had in years. These wines look light in color but that is deceiving!!!😇. They are in their own league. Less herbaceous than the 2010 less tyme and in this case cranberry notes. 0n the nose rose pedals. This needs age!
Very consistent E&M style and unbeleavable under prized and ultra rare 1-3 barrels a year a Grand Cru.
I hope you are one day one of the lucky few who will taste this.! A ridicules wine needs more time. Less debts and complexity than the 2010 which was one of the best wines I had in years. These wines look light in color but that is deceiving!!!😇. They are in their own league. Less herbaceous than the 2010 less tyme and in this case cranberry notes. 0n the nose rose pedals. This needs age!
Really fun Pinot to drink. Hidden complexity that doesn't express itself until your almost finished with the bottle. Nice alc level. Very refined with vegetal, herbaceous notes.
Really fun Pinot to drink. Hidden complexity that doesn't express itself until your almost finished with the bottle. Nice alc level. Very refined with vegetal, herbaceous notes.
Aug 22nd, 2015