Le blog du Grand Jury

It is not the first time I have doubts about the widely accepted common wisdom that wines from the best years are per se superior. And I have to admit: It is very difficult not to be influenced by the reports of the wine critics. I am not an exception in this case. Everybody knows that in 2005 winemakers in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Germany produced superb wines. And that 2006 remains in the shadows of this super year (and maybe will remain there forever). But why do I love some specific wines from 2006 just as as much or even more than the wines from 2005? I got an answer in a recent tasting with one of the best German pinot noir producers.

Bernhard Huber is a winery located in Malterdingen, near Freiburg im Breisgau. Standing on the hills you can see Alsace - by bicycle you can be there within one hour (without EPO doping). Not only is the terroir of Huber quite similar to the Côte d'Or, but Huber also learned a lot from Burgundy winemakers since he worked there for some time and has still personal contacts to some well known producers. If you taste the wines you can feel the influence of Burgundy on Bernhard Huber.

I recently visited the beautiful and modern winery, all temperature controlled. In the tasting room I had the chance to taste some 2005 and 2006 pinot noir and also some whites. The 2006 reds are not yet released. Comming back to the topic of this report, I had one of the very good basic wines from Huber, the Spätburgunder (pinot noir) „Alte Reben" (Vieilles Vignes) from 2005 and 2006 side by side. After I had tasted the 2005 I was impressed by the volume and structure of that wine. It had a rather deep colour, was oily in the glass, had a shy but with swirling wonderful nose of dark cherries and some chocolate. This wine needs time to develop some secondary nuances and to shed the tannins. There was some wood detectable but it is well intergrated and in no way overpowering. I was sure to have a superb wine in my glass still available for rather little money. When the 2006 was offered I remebered immediatly that this was a difficult year compared to the textbook vintage 2005. It rained quite often that year, the summer was cold, but the fall was good, sunny and not too rainy. The colour of the 2006 was significantly lighter. When swirled, it was obvious that the wine had not the weight of 2005. But once my nose smelled the aroma I was in love with that wine. It was way more complex than the 2005 at this stage of its evolution. While I spitted the 2005 I drank the 2006. This wine had so much charm and finesse I thought it would be a shame to spit it. 

O.k. - do I think now the 2006 is the better wine. No. Especially not if you look 5 years further. But one thing is absolutely clear. This 2006 is much better as expected. It is simply delicious right now. I guess it can be drunk after release and then for 5 years minimum with a lot of pleasure. And if I drink this wine in the next few years. will I miss something having the 2005 blockbusters in mind? No. The charm and the complexity of the 2006 makes you forget that the wines from the former year are fatter, riper, and probably longer lived. If I had to decide which wine I'd like to drink within the next 3 to 5 years, I'd have absolutely no problem: Give me a bottle of the 2006.

Again and again I think it is so important to have as little prejudices as possible when tasting wine. An assistant of Bernhard Huber told me that in 2006 they had to fight so hard to bring the quality I found into the glass. And that it was a very difficult year indeed. But he smiled when I said that I love the result of their work. In 2005 it was quite easy to produce a good wine. In 2006 talent and passion were needed to produce something outstanding. And my experience is: In almost every difficult vintage somebody makes outstanding wines. Like Huber in 2006. 

I have to add that Huber produces some Grands Crus either. The „Alte Reben" is comparable to a Côte d'Or village wine. To me these standard wines say much more about the quality standing of a producer than his top product. So I used this example for my story. But it holds true for other wines, too. I have tasted a lot of 2005 Burgundies and some 2006s already. It appears to me that we have the same story here. While the 2005 Burgundies are the bigger wines, the 2006s seem to be superior in complexity and finesse. So it is probably a very subjective question which style the majority of wine drinkers prefer. I guess the 2005 will have more admirers. But I am in love with the ballerinas of 2006. You have to taste yourself to decide what you prefer. But I wouldn't be surprised if the one or the other wine lover prefers the 2006.