2013 Nierstein PATERBERG Pinot Noir Grosses Gewächs Q.b.A. trocken St. Antony, Rheinhessen (1,5l)

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 2013 Nierstein PATERBERG Pinot Noir Grosses Gewächs Q.b.A. trocken, St. Antony

The 2013 Paterberg Pinot Noir Grosse Lage comes from a limestone terroir with fine clay soils that is located between Nierstein and Oppenheim, and open to the west so that permanent breezes are refreshing the warm spot that overlooks the Rhine river. Here, very close to a 200-year-old quarry, 30-year-old Riesling vines (7,500 vines per hectare) had been grafted with mass selections from Rousseau's Clos de Bèze. The wine was fermented with 25% whole clusters and aged for 18 months in small barrels, of which 25% were new. Displaying dark fruit aromas like cassis and black berries with dark cherries, the wine is very intense on the fascinating and noble nose that reflects the ripeness as well as the freshness, precision and elegance of the Paterberg terroir. Full-bodied, fresh and firmly structured, this is a powerful and concentrated Pinot Noir with great finesse and mineral tension. The tannins are very fine but grippy, and the promising finish is very spicy. This is a very rare wine that's not available anymore -- at least in Germany. - Stephan Reinhardt, Dez. 2015