Vintage 2019 in Malterdingen was characterised by warm summer days, for us optimally dosed rainfall and very cool nights during harvest, so that the grapes ripened perfectly and the wine fully expressed its essence. Due to little rainfall in winter and spring, the vegetative development was delayed at the beginning of 2019. In mid-June, flowering was very even across the various vineyards amid good weather with cool nights. Later on, the vegetation in the foothills of the Black Forest benefitted from well-distributed precipitation during midsummer.
We were able to start the grape harvest on very cold mornings in mid-September. The temperatures at night sometimes fell into the single-digit range. We harvested bunches with small berries and crunchy, thick skins. They came into the cellar with an inspiring, aromatic and well-chilled air. They have grown into wines of delicacy and juiciness, playful acidity and noble fruit. – Julian Huber
2020 Huber Malterdinger Weiss RRP $75
This wine is built upon our best Pinot Blanc plants from the Bienenberg vineyard in an assemblage with the finest selections from our Chardonnay vineyards. The grapes grow on weathered limestone soils. The Pinot Blanc vines are more than 60 years old, while the Chardonnay vines are up to 10 years old.
The blend is 70% Chardonnay with 30% Weisser Burgunder. The must is spontaneously fermented in small French oak barrels and matured on the yeast lees for 16 months. It is bottled without filtration. For us, the origin is more important than the grape varieties. Therefore we call this local wine “Malterdinger” white. – Julian Huber
2019 Huber Malterdinger Pinot Noir RRP $75
More than 700 years ago, Cistercian monks brought Pinot Noir to Malterdingen. The monks’ estate, called “curia”, was in the Mönchhofmatten district where the Huber winery is located today. In Malterdingen the monks encountered the same terroir – the weathered “shell limestone” soil – as in Burgundy. And they brought with them cutting-edge experience on how to grow Pinot Noir. In vine variety books and wine encyclopedias, the terms “Pinot Noir” and “Malterdinger” are synonymous.
The 2019 Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Pinot Noir is a VDP village wine grown on weathered shell limestone soil with a thin layer of loess clay. These grapes come from vines that are between 8 and 25 years old. After the traditional must fermentation, this wine is mainly aged in first-, second- and third-use barriques and is bottled without filtration. – Julian Huber
You could easily mistake this Baden pinot noir for a Chambolle-Musigny! Still very youthful, yet it has wonderful fragrance on the nose and is both silky and filigree on the medium-bodied palate. Very long, seamless finish that pulls your hand back to the glass for more. Drink or hold. 93 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com September 2021
2019 Huber Alte Reben Pinot Noir RRP $128
Our Malterdinger Spätburgunder Alte Reben is labelled as old-vine VDP Ortswein but we think of it as a village 1er cru from our home in Malterdingen. The Pinot Noir grapes grow on weathered shell limestone, with the vines aged 20 to 45 years. After the traditional must fermentation, the 18-month maturation takes place in small first-, second- and third-use French oak barrels filled with first, two and thirds. The wine is bottled without filtration. – Julian Huber
At once concentrated and filigree, this is a stunning pinot noir for a village wine. The beautifully integrated, fine tannins and lively acidity lift this far above the crowd of wines in this category. Very long and mineral finish. Drink or hold. 94 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com September 2021
2019 Bernhard Huber Bienenberg Pinot Noir Grosses Gewächs RRP $190
Huber’s holdings in the grand cru Bienenberg vineyard were planted in the 50s and 60s with primarily German clones. They are the oldest on the estate. Of the approximately 130-hectare Bienenberg Vineyard, Huber owns 15 hectares. Of this, about 10.45 ha is classified Grosses Gewächs. The soil is yellow-reddish shell limestone. The aspect is south-east to south-west. Part of the vineyard is on a 15% slope (so passable with vineyard equipment) and part is on small, steeply ascending terraces (up to 60% gradient). The average vine age is between two and 53 years and yields are around 30 hl/ha. The Pinot Noir is marked by red fruits with hints of violets. Equipped with power and elegance, it takes time to play out its potential.
Extremely vibrant red (and only red!) fruit aromas pour from the glass of this very youthful pinot noir. With every swirl of the glass, more savory and delicately spicy notes emerge. Very concentrated and no less elegant, this has so much drama and energy on the palate that it takes your breath away. Incredibly focused and very long, mineral finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2023. 96 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com September 2021
The 2019 Bienenberg Spätburgunder GG opens irresistibly radiant and fragrant on the nose, with fascinating Pinot aromas of red cherries and berries. The palate is the materialization of silky elegance with very delicate juiciness finely spiced with cloves and fine astringency from the oak barrels. Unique in style. This Bienenberg is as firm as it is filigreed, yet it’s still slightly drying on the finish. Very promising. Tasted in Wiesbaden at the end of August 2021. 93+ points. Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate September 2021
Cherry red with ruby rim, medium intensity. Quite intense in its blackberry fragrance, even showing a hint of blackcurrant. Starts off relatively mellow on the palate with a delicious taste of juicy blueberry. Tannins are kept well under wraps, leaving centre stage to fruit and a sumptuous texture. A slight astringency pops up on the finish but without diminishing the seductive charm of the Bienenberg. 18/20 Michael Schmidt, jancisrobinson.com October 2021
2019 Bernhard Huber Schlossberg Pinot Noir Grosses Gewächs RRP $256
Bright yellowish limestone par excellence. Schlossberg is considered the most concise vineyard in Breisgau and has been used for viticulture since 1492. It’s a steep slope on a gradient of up to 72% (in the Kapelleberg part up to 96%). It requires purely manual work and the mineral, skeleton-rich soil with bright yellowish limestone is geologically rare within the Black Forest foothills. The main orientation is south to southwest. It’s an absolutely top location for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Of the vineyard’s 50 hectares, Huber’s holdings are 6 ha, of which 5.49 ha are classified as Grosses Gewächs. The 6- to 35-year-old vines are planted with a density 6,250-13,000 vines/ha. The yield here is 28 hl/ha. The steep slope makes for very intense sun radiation. The wines have great inner warmth and depth, a firm structure, pronounced minerality and strong fruit.
A milestone of finesse for German pinot noir! Super-fresh and expressive nose of red cherries, red beets, delicate spices and summer flowers. Very concentrated, pure and focused palate with extremely fine tannins that feel like stroking the finest velvet. Astonishingly long and vibrant, mineral finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2023. 98 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com September 2021
The 2019 Schlossberg Spätburgunder GG is pure, deep and fresh and delivers dark rather than red berries to the nose that gets me immediately excited about this picture-book Pinot that indicates a high (yet perfect) level of ripeness combined with a wicked sweetness. Juicy and finessed on the palate, this is a silky and supple Pinot with very fine tannins and highly stimulating and refreshing salinity. Highly seductive. This is a very long and absolutely beautiful Pinot with pure fruit and virtually no oaky or toasty tones. Tasted in Wiesbaden at the end of August 2021. 95+ points. Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate September 2021
Palish cherry red, purple rim. A slightly singed fragrance seems to indicate the influence of newish oak before the fruit of crushed red berries begins to make an impact. Invigoratingly fresh and fruity on the palate to start with, lively acidity adding even more vibrancy. Tannins act with restraint. Light and elegant style of Pinot. Would it be sacrilege to suspect that it’s lacking a little in depth? 18/20 Michael Schmidt, jancisrobinson.com October 2021
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2014 Bernhard Huber Bienenberg Pinot Noir Grosses Gewächs RRP $132
Calling it the spice girl of Spätburgunders does not insinuate that the Bienenberg is shallow, but the choice of barrique has resulted in an extremely spicy fragrance. Cloves and nutmeg also dominate the palate, giving the fruit a hard time at this early stage. Fortunately, minerality refuses to be suppressed and makes its presence felt with a pronounced salty tang. There can be no doubt about the underlying substance, but a little more fruit will be welcome, if and when it emerges. 17/20 Michael Schmidt, jancisrobinson.com
2013 Bernhard Huber Bienenberg Pinot Noir Grosses Gewächs RRP $132
One of Huber’s grand cru vineyards, with vines planted in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Finer, and more ‘minerally’ than the Alte Reben 2013, though quite similar. Smoky whole bunch spice, dark cherry and chocolate, with raspberry filling, hazelnut and stony mineral stuff. Medium bodied, distinct ‘minerality’ here with pure acidity, an almost volcanic rock character, with brisk and bright flavour, raspberry packed with spice and a very long detailed finish. Crisp. Energetic. So expressive. You can almost taste the earth. Great expression of Pinot Noir. 95 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front July 2017
2013 Bernhard Huber Schlossberg Grosses Gewächs Pinot Noir RRP $164
The faintly turbid colour doesn’t set the heart racing, but the perfumed bouquet does with its cherry all-sorts fruit and multi-spices, the supple palate underlining the great quality of the wine. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Burgundy of this calibre at the same price. Drink to 2030. 97 points. James Halliday October 2020