Editors notes
Alte Reben means old vines, this Pinot Noir is made with grapes sourced from 20-40 year old vines.
A charming bouquet of sweet berry fruit and cherry, with hints of spice, flower and mineral. Intensely flavoured and concentrated on the palate with notes of spice, forest floor and ripe fruit. Succulent acidity gives this Pinot a long, juicy finish.
Details
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Aroma
- Earthy
- Herbal
- Red Fruits
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Palate
- Cedar
- Red Cherry
- Strawberry
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Critic Scores & reviews
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Gary Walsh
94"Plenty of smoky whole bunch spice here, along with a fair amount of toasted hazelnut oak, dark cherry and dark chocolate. Lively and spicy in the mouth, a medium-bodied frame, cherries, sausage and roast nuts again, with a pulsating acidity, grainy tannin, and a long tangy finish, a mineral feel, closing with a distinctly umami aftertaste. Different expression of Pinot Noir, but so worthy."
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The Wine Advocate
91"Huber's 2013 Spatburgunder Alte Reben comes from a selection of vines that average 40 years of age and are planted on shell limestone soils, including the crus. The wine displays a deep, spicy, clear and slightly flinty cherry and red berry bouquet, which has remarkable finesse and precision. Medium to full-bodied, juicy, fresh and refined, this is a beautifully elegant and balanced Pinot Noir. There are present yet silky tannins and a long, clear, fresh and aromatic finish. This is an excellent little cru with grip and stimulating authenticity."
Other vintages
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Locations
Germany
Germany is fully capable of producing some of the world's great white wines. One hundred years ago the demand for and thus prices commanded for the wines from the finest vineyards in Piesport, Morcobrunn and Rudesheim rivalled the best wines from Bordeaux. Largely due to the lack of government regulation into the quality of wine output, Germany over the past century became known for producing sweet sugar-water wines at cheap costs, flooding the world market. This has had a negative effect on the perception of German wines worldwide, but rest assured we only choose to stock German wines of high quality.
The Riesling grape with all its versatility is the main grape variety, and whilst many countries make Riesling, none can match the mouth-watering freshness and supreme delicacy achieved in a Mosel Kabinett from a top producer. Germany's dry Rieslings as a rule tend to be very graceful and elegant as compared to Rieslings from other countries, with an emphasis on finesse, not power. Standout producers such as Robert Weil make the headlines, but Donnhoff, JL Wolf, A Christmann and Dr Loosen are too worth seeking out.
Another most interesting contribution from Germany was Eiswine (ice wine), which until the 1970s was a freak of nature, though is now carefully managed. To produce Eiswine, parcels of vines are left out exposed to the frost, and although the production cost is astronomical they remain very popular. Robust Pinot Blancs and Pinot Gris are also produced in the whites and Pinot Noir, referred to as Spätburgunder is also grown.
The climate in Germany is, for the most part, cool, the exception being in the Pfalz and in Baden. As a result, vineyards are carefully selected with good sunlight exposure a must. For example along the banks of the Mosel River, vines are only planted on one side, as there isn't enough sunlight exposure to ripen grapes on the north-facing side.
Key regions include Mosel and Nahe where extraordinary Rieslings are produced.
Baden
Baden. The southernmost of Germany's wine regions is primarily a long, slim strip of vineyards nestled between the hills of the Black Forest and the Rhine River, extending some 400 km from north to south.
Comprised of nine districts with a total planted area making up 15,400 hectares under vine, Baden also has many soil types and grape varieties to its name. Nearly half of the vineyards are planted with Burgunder (Pinot) varieties: Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), yielding velvety to fiery red wine and refreshing Weissherbst (rosé), ranging in style from dry to slightly sweet; Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), a dry, food-compatible wine, or marketed under the synonym Ruländer to denote a richer, fuller-bodied (and sweeter) style; and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), neutral enough to accompany many foods. Spicy Gewürztraminer and the noble Riesling are specialties of the Ortenau district near Baden-Baden, where they are known as Clevner and Klingelberger, respectively. Light, mild Gutedel (synonymous with the Chasselas of France and Fendant of Switzerland) is a specialty of the Markgräflerland district between Freiburg and the Swiss border.
About the brand Huber
Located in Baden, Germany's most southerly wine region, Bernhard Huber and his wife began bottling their wines in 1987 after taking control of the family estate. Previously, Huber's father had sold grapes to the local cooperative. Now, his wines are recognized among Germany's finest.
The vineyard area totals 26 hectares with holdings in Bienenberg (Malterdingen) and a handfull of other sites. 70 % is planted with Pinot Noir, known as Spatburgunder in Germany, while the rest is Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and a handful of indigenous varieties. With Burgundy as a model and its winemakers as mentors, Huber evolved his winemaking style to emulate that great region; using whole bunches in ferments, limiting yields to increase concentration, procuring French oak from Francois Freres and acquiring up to fifteen Burgundian Pinot Noir clones to blend with his German ones.
Sadly, Bernhard Huber passed away in 2014, but his incredible vision and contribution to German wine and to Pinot Noir as a varietal is not loosing speed anytime soon.
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