Composed of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris (Deiss refers to it as Pinot Beurot, a Burgundian synonym for Pinot Gris), the medium to dark ruby-colored 2000 Burlenberg displays dark cherry, violet, toast, and floral aromas. Tasted from barrel, this medium-bodied wine offers black fruit, brambleberry, spice, and chocolate-like flavors. Firm, powerful, and ripe, it reveals fruit-enveloped tannin in its appealing, if somewhat tight, finish. Interestingly, Deiss informed me that the fruity nature of Pinot Gris would soften the finish of the wine, often a problem in Alsatian Pinot Noirs. Drink it over the next 10 years. Bravo!According to Deiss, "2000 was a vintage of great weather, yet one that carries with it problems of balance, like all great vintages. Some will consider these wines as too rich and having too much alcohol or residual sugar." He added that "2001 presented us with climatic chaos but the end result is as great as 2000." Deiss, a bio-dynamic farmer, stressed that he never chaptalizes his wines, including the reds.Importer: New Castle Imports, Inc., Myrtle Beach, SC; tel. (843) 448-9463

This pure Pinot Noir is ripe, smoky, toasty and with a touch of earthiness. Fresh acidity shows through the flavors of ripe strawberries and leaves vibrant red fruits on the palate. Imported by Lauber Imports. ——R.V.(4/1/2005)—— 89