Spätburgunder

Spätburgunder is Germany’s name for Pinot Noir: a dry, light to medium-bodied red with bright cherry, raspberry and strawberry flavours, subtle spice and an earthy edge. Fresh rather than heavy, it’s brilliant with roast chicken, duck, pork, salmon, mushroom dishes and charcuterie – and lighter bottles can be delicious slightly chilled.

Taste:

Yes, Spätburgunder is Pinot Noir. Germany just likes to make you work for it.

It’s typically dry and light to medium-bodied, with fresh acidity, silky tannins and plenty of red fruit. Expect cherry, raspberry, strawberry and cranberry, often alongside violet, gentle spice, herbs and earthy flavours.

Lighter styles can be particularly fresh and fruit-driven, while riper or oak-aged bottles may bring darker cherry, vanilla, smoke and savoury spice into the mix. With age, you can also find classic Pinot Noir flavours such as mushroom and forest floor.

If you like elegant reds that don’t leave your mouth feeling like you’ve eaten a handful of chalk, you’re in safe hands.

Food Pairings:

Spätburgunder is one of those reds that gets along with an impressive amount of food.

Try it with roast chicken, grilled chicken, duck breast, crispy duck, roast pork, pork chops, glazed ham or sausages. Its lighter body also means it works beautifully with fish, particularly grilled salmon, roast salmon or seared tuna.

Mushrooms are another easy win. Pair it with mushroom risotto, creamy mushroom pasta, mushroom stroganoff, truffle pasta or a mushroom tart.

Its combination of red fruit and acidity can also work well with pizza, particularly mushroom, prosciutto or Margherita, as well as charcuterie, pâté and antipasti.

For cheese, try Brie, Camembert, Gruyère or Comté.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir is the obvious place to explore next. Burgundy offers some of the grape’s most famous expressions, including Beaune, Volnay and Pommard.

If it’s the fresh fruit and lighter body you enjoy most, Gamay and Zweigelt are also well worth getting acquainted with.

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More About Spätburgunder:

Spätburgunder is simply the German name for Pinot Noir and is one of Germany’s most important red grape varieties.

It’s grown across several regions, with particularly notable examples coming from Baden, the Ahr and the Pfalz. Germany’s relatively cool climate helps Pinot Noir retain the freshness and acidity that suit the grape so well.

Styles can vary considerably, from light, juicy reds made for early drinking to serious, oak-aged wines capable of developing much more complexity over time.

Germany may have built its international wine reputation on Riesling, but its Pinot Noir has been quietly getting very good. Consider the secret officially out.