Wine of the week October 9

By Lucia Blash on October 8, 2008 1:01 AM |

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This week's tipple is Furst Spatburgunder ‘Centgrafenberg’ 2006, from Franken in Germany, priced at £19.50. To find out why Bernard Wilkes, assistant wine manager at Waitrose, Canary Wharf, picked this one, click the link below.

Earlier this year, I wrote up Paul Furst’s entry level Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir). This generated a lot of interest when I put it on tasting, and is now sold out.

We have now replaced it with another wine, this one from Furst’s renowned Centgrafenberg vineyard. While stylistically similar to the previous wine, this red is less obviously fruit forward and has a greater density of fruit allied to oak influences, giving a wine with more sheer weight.

Centgrafenberg’s success derives from its limestone soil (similar to parts of Burgundy) and its south-facing slopes, enabling the vines to soak up the maximum heat from Franken’s hot, dry summers.

On the nose, there are sour cherry notes coupled with woodland fruits. The palate is fleshy with a long, lingering finish.

Enjoy cool with duck cooked with cherries, free-range pork or even wild boar.

n If you would like to taste this wine, and many others showing the sheer diversity Germany currently offers, join me next Thursday (October 16) between 3pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from the Wine Bar at Waitrose Canary Wharf, priced £7.50 (refundable against any German wine purchased on the day).

See you there.