IN THE SIGN OF SUBTLETY - David Schildknecht on Pinot Blanc in Trink Magazine

The highly regarded David Schildknecht wrote a terrific piece in Trink Magazine on an underrated grape we happen to love: Pinot Blanc or Weissburgunder. Click here for the article and see below for his notes on Rebholz.

Ökonomierat Rebholz Weißer Burgunder trocken / Pinot Blanc (Pfalz – Südliche Weinstrasse)

The Southern Pfalz, whose towns and vineyards still lack the cachet of those in the adjacent Mittelhaardt, is increasingly becoming known for a concentration of fanatically quality-conscious winegrowers. It’s also a hotbed of Pinot Blanc activity, where several top estates feature three or more bottlings — and veteran Hansjörg Rebholz a world-record five! The ostensibly least among these — grown on both the sandstone and shell limestone that are prominent local features — constitutes a consistently irresistible and mouthwatering invitation to Pinot Blanc’s charms. Südpfalz elevations make for generally cooler conditions than in the Mittelhaardt, so the grapes can hang longer while retaining acidity that would make Riesling from a few other regions envious; and although, like most Rebholz wines labeled “trocken,” this one is analytically bone-dry, alcohol seldom exceeds 13%, and burdens neither wine or taster. (I list two names separated by a forward slash because one appears on this wine’s label in German-speaking markets and the other elsewhere. Such circumstances aren’t unusual. Many Pinot Blancs from Südtirol, for instance, sport a “Weissburgunder” or a “Pinot Bianco” label depending on where the wine is being marketed.)