Spätburgunder is simply what Germans call Pinot Noir, and right now it is some of the most exciting red wine in Europe. The name means late-ripening Burgundian, a nod to where the grape came from. Germany grows close to 12,000 hectares of it, more than anywhere except France and the United States, so this is no curiosity. Below the grid you will find German Pinot Noir from the Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Baden, the Ahr and the Rheingau: easy village bottles alongside Grosses Gewächs from single vineyards.
What makes German Pinot Noir taste different
A cool climate is the short answer. Classic Spätburgunder is paler and lighter in tannin than Pinot from warmer places, with red cherry, raspberry and a savoury, slightly smoky edge. The last two decades changed the picture, though. Growers now pick riper, use better barrels and treat their best sites the way Burgundy treats its crus, and the top wines have depth and a long mineral finish to match. If you already love Pinot Noir from elsewhere, this is the next place to look.
The best Spätburgunder regions and producers to know
Pfalz and Rheinhessen
The warm, dry Pfalz is a hotbed of serious Spätburgunder. A. Christmann farms biodynamically in Gimmeldingen, and his Idig Grosses Gewächs is one of the country's benchmark reds. Friedrich Becker in Schweigen is a curious case: most of his vineyards sit just over the border in Alsace, including the limestone Sankt Paul and the steep Kammerberg, yet the wines are German Pinot through and through. Look out for Knipser and Rings too. In Rheinhessen, Klaus Peter Keller's Bürgel comes from one of the coolest, most limestone-rich sites in the region, and Wagner-Stempel makes a lovely, fairly priced Heerkretz.
Baden and the Ahr
Baden, the southernmost region, has the most Spätburgunder in Germany. Franz Keller works the volcanic terraces of the Kaiserstuhl, where Schlossberg gives cherry fruit with a smoky, stony line, while Ziereisen in the Markgräflerland makes some of the most thrilling wines in the country. Head north to the tiny Ahr valley and Pinot covers roughly two thirds of the vineyards, planted on steep slate. Bertram-Baltes shows how fine and silky Ahr Spätburgunder can be. Browse wines from Baden for more from the south.
Rheingau
The Rheingau is Riesling country, except in Assmannshausen, where the violet slate of the Höllenberg has been one of Germany's great red wine sites for generations. Kloster Eberbach, founded by Cistercian monks from Burgundy in 1136, still makes it, and you will find rare mature bottles from the Höllenberg going back to the 1930s, including sweet Weißherbst and Beerenauslese from a time when pale, sweet Pinot was the local style.
How to choose and serve Spätburgunder wine
Start with trocken on the label if you want a dry red. A Gutswein or village wine is the everyday bottle, Erste Lage steps up to a named vineyard, and Grosses Gewächs is the top dry wine from the finest sites. Serve it slightly cool, around 15 to 16°C, in a wide glass. It loves roast duck, mushrooms, game birds and salmon. Prices start around €15 to €20 and run well past €100 for GG and older vintages. For the wider picture, explore all our German wines.
Spätburgunder FAQ: common questions about German Pinot Noir
Is Spätburgunder the same as Pinot Noir?
Yes. Spätburgunder is the German name for the same grape. Some German producers put Pinot Noir on the label instead, especially for export, so you will see both names on this page.
Is Spätburgunder sweet or dry?
Most modern Spätburgunder is dry, and trocken on the label confirms it. Sweet versions exist, mainly older Rheingau Auslese and Beerenauslese, but they are the exception today.
What does Weißherbst mean?
Weißherbst is a German rosé made from a single red grape variety, and Spätburgunder is a favourite choice. By law it must be a quality or Prädikat wine.
What is Grosses Gewächs?
Grosses Gewächs, or GG, is the top dry wine from a VDP estate's best-rated vineyard, its Grosse Lage. It is roughly Germany's answer to a Burgundy grand cru.