Red wine

Germany is the third largest producer of Pinot Noir in the world, after France and the United States. That is not widely known, partly because the grape goes by another name there.

Spätburgunder is the German name for Pinot Noir. It means "late Burgundian", as distinct from its early-ripening relative Frühburgunder. You will see it spelled three ways depending on the keyboard: Spätburgunder, Spatburgunder and Spaetburgunder. It is the same grape.

Schwarzriesling is Pinot Meunier, the third Champagne grape. The name is misleading: it is not related to Riesling at all, but got the name because the leaves look similar. In French it is Meunier, "miller", after the floury coating on the underside of the leaf.

What both share here is a cool climate. That gives lighter body, higher acidity and more red fruit than Pinot Noir from warmer places, with alcohol usually between eleven and thirteen per cent. Served lightly chilled, around sixteen degrees, the fruit comes through more clearly.

Every Spätburgunder in the selection, red and rosé, is gathered on the Spätburgunder page.

From the Dão in Portugal come two reds from Quinta da Fata, Clássico and Reserva, both from Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen and Tinta Roriz, trodden in lagares on granite. The Reserva has six months in French and American oak. Both are on their way in.