Probably no other area of viticulture in Germany is currently experiencing as much movement as Pinot Noir. In almost all wine regions, wines are now being produced that can hold their own in international comparisons - and there are more and more of them every year. Stylistically, the trend is clearly moving towards more subtlety, polish, coolness, less wood and lower alcohol, following the example of modern top Burgundies.
But the variety of styles is great, perhaps greater than ever, and there is hardly a taste in red wine that cannot be satisfied at a high level. In other words: if you don't find anything here, you simply don't like the variety. And anyone who still thinks that first-class red wines cannot be produced in Germany has obviously missed the boat.
Burgundy also seems to be a role model in terms of price development, because the number of Pinot Noirs with prices in the high double-digit or even triple-digit euro range is steadily increasing. In view of what one gets for one's money, this is often not too much, especially in international comparison. In any case, there is no reason to complain. For, thanks to the broad increase in quality, there are, on the other hand, considerably more excellent wines at reasonable prices than in the past.
We tasted well over 500 German Pinot Noirs last year. As always, you can find the best ones listed here as well as in the handy PDF. Links to all wines tasted with 80 points or more can be found here, as well as at the end of the list, sorted by origin.
The best Pinot Noirs / Pinot Noir
- 96WP 2013 Sonnenberg "Heydenreich", Friedrich Becker
- 94WP 2015 "Terra1261", Baltes
- 94WP 2013 Steinwingert, Friedrich Becker
- 94WP 2015 Bienenberg GG "Wildenstein", Huber
- 94WP 2012 "Réserve RdP", Knipser
- 93WP 2013 Herrenwingert, Friedrich Becker
- 93WP 2013 Sonnenberg "KB", Friedrich Becker
- 93WP 2015 Eichberg GG, Franz Keller
- 93WP 2015 Hundsrück GG, Fürst
- 93WP 2015 Rosenthal GG, Adeneuer
- 93WP 2015 Schlossberg GG, Huber
- 93WP 2015 "Caviar", Ress
- 93WP 2015 "Devonschiefer R", Kreuzberg
- 93WP 2015 Schlossberg GG, Baltes
- 92WP 2013 Cherry Orchard GG, Knipser
- 92WP 2013 Mandelpfad GG, Knipser
- 92WP 2012 Burgweg GG, Knipser
- 92WP 2012 "Réserve", Knipser
- 92WP 2015 Bienenberg GG, Huber
- 92WP 2015 "Rouge de Schulz Nr 1", Chat Sauvage
- 92WP 2015 Schlossberg GG, Franz Keller
- 92WP 2015 Bischofsberg, Baltes
- 92WP 2015 Gärkammer GG, Adeneuer
- 92WP 2015 Schlossberg GG, Fürst
- 92WP 2015 Kräuterberg GG, Meyer-Näkel
- 91WP 2013 Old Vines "Jasper", Ziereisen
- 91WP 2015 Siebeldinger "Vom Muschelkalk R", Rebholz
- 91WP 2015 "Jasper", Ziereisen
- 91WP 2014 "Devonschiefer R", Kreuzberg
- 91WP 2015 Silberberg GG, Kreuzberg
- 91WP 2015 Silberberg, Meyer-Näkel
- 91WP 2015 Mönchberg, Julia Bertram
- 91WP 2015 Lämmler GG, Aldinger
- 91WP 2015 Gypsum "Marienglas" GG, Alsinger
- 91WP 2015 Lämmler GG, Schnaitmann
- 91WP 2013 Henkenberg GG, Salwey
- 91WP 2014 Sonnenberg GG, Stodden
- 91WP 2015 Kirchgasse GG, City of Lahr
- 91WP 2015 Mönchberg Gehrnhalde GG, Haidle
- 91WP 2015 Sommerhalde GG, Huber
- 91WP 2015 Forstberg GG, Dautel
- 91WP 2014 Forstberg GG, Dautel
- 91WP 2015 "unfiltered", Jülg
- 91WP 2015 Burgweg, Wageck-Pfaffmann
- 91WP 2014 "Grand Duc Reserve", Deutzerhof
- 91WP 2015 Centgrafenberg GG, Fürst
- 91WP 2015 Höllenberg, Chat Sauvage
- 91WP 2015 Höllenberg GG, Kesseler
- 91WP 2015 Kirchberg, Franz Keller
- 91WP 2015 Klingenberger "Alte Reben R", Baltes
- 90WP 2015 Sonnenberg GG, Kreuzberg
- 90WP 2015 "Rhini", Ziereisen
- 90WP 2014 Herrenberg, Stodden
- 90WP 2014 Hardtberg GG, Stodden
- 90WP 2015 Sonnenstuhl GG, Schmitt's children
- 90WP 2015 Feuerberg Kesselberg, Bercher
- 90WP 2015 Sonnenlay, Günther Steinmetz
- 90WP 2015 Burggarten GG "B 52", Nelles
- 90WP 2015 "Réserve", Jülg
- 90WP 2015 Sonnenberg, Jülg
- 90WP 2015 Goldberg, Wageck-Pfaffmann
- 90WP 2015 Malterdinger "Old Vines", Huber
- 90WP 2015 Rose garden, Stefan Meyer
- 90WP 2015 Schwarzer Letten, Stefan Meyer
- 90WP 2013 Kalmit GG, Siegrist
- 90WP 2015 Schlossberg, Chat Sauvage
- 90WP 2015 Rüdesheimer, Chat Sauvage
- 90WP 2014 Höllenberg GG, Künstler
- 90WP 2015 Saumagen GG, Rings
- 90WP 2014 Schupen GG, Dautel
- 90WP 2015 Schupen GG, Dautel
- 90WP 2015 Pfarrwingert GG, Meyer-Näkel
- 90WP 2015 Sonnenberg GG, Meyer-Näkel
- 90WP 2015 Sonnenberg GG, Bernhart
- 90WP 2015 "Von Unserm S", Ress
- 90WP 2015 Trotzenberg, Julia Bertram
- 90WP 2013 Burgweg GG, Knipser
- 90WP 2015 Lämmler GG, Heid
- 90WP 2015 Schlossberg GG, Heger
Links to all wines tasted by region: