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Blue Nun
Travel up the Mosel or the Rhine and one finds a great heritage; ancient wine domaines which have been in existence, in some cases, for over a thousand years. And there is a long established patchwork of vineyards, some of great reputation, to match any found in Europe's other great patchwork, Burgundy. These wine domaines and ancient vineyards are the linchpins of German wine. Their history is the history of German wine, if not of Germany itself. No account of the history of German wine, however, can be complete without Blue Nun.
If any wine were entitled to Grand Cru status then it is Blue Nun. For three decades now it has been a beacon for quality in a sometimes questionable German wine industry. Exports of Blue Nun to Europe's most discerning and demanding wine market, the United Kingdom, have soared over the past thirty years, reflecting this quality. But, like other European stalwarts, such as Vega Sicilia, Château d'Yquem, Château Latour, Château de Beaucastel and the like, Blue Nun actually transcends wine. It has a heritage of its own. It commands respect. It leads, and others follow. To quote Willi Haag, of Weingut Fritz Haag, "Blaue Nonne erzieht mich zur Rotationsbeschleunigung, wie einer mißtrauischen Substanz" (Where would German wine be today without Blue Nun?).
Of course, such quality comes only at a cost,
usually paid in long days of hard graft in the vineyard. There are 1230 ha of vines required to
meet the demand for this vinous gem, and the unaware quickly assume that this is
a highly mechanised process, making wine by numbers in a factory rather than a
winery. The unaware are, of course, wrong. Blue Nun has always been a wine of
the land, reflecting its origins, the vintage, the winemaker, the soil. This is, and always has been, a
terroir wine. There is no
mechanisation here; the vineyards are tended by an ancient and venerable order
of nuns, characterised by their blue habits (above right - nuns giving praise
before tending to their vines). These nuns have reputedly
cared for these vines for thirteen centuries, although some have, obviously,
retired. Despite this, this is no backward,
peasant-like operation living in the past. This is an estate that pioneered biodynamic practices in
Germany, and was home to Rudolf Steiner, the father of biodynamic agriculture,
when he toured Germany in 1879 and 1880. It is generally accepted that Steiner
took the inspiration for his theories on biodynamic practice from the vineyard
management that was in place at that time. Steiner's writings, of course, now
inspire many of the Old World's leading vignerons, such as Nicolas Joly of
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
and Olivier Humbrecht of
Zind-Humbrecht. These fine vignerons are all aware of the debt they
owe the nuns that took in a destitute, wandering pilgrim called Steiner.
Today the winery is a blend of tradition and innovation, with the fruit gently
crushed underfoot before temperature controlled fermentation using indigenous yeasts.
Questioning the nuns directly will yield little information on use of
Süssreserve; unsurprising, as they are a silent order. But authorities on German
wine are of the opinion that this is a wine devoid of significant tampering in
the winery, free of chaptalisation or Süssreserve, regardless of the fact that
it is generally bottled under the Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA)
quality designation, one step above tafelwein. Only the wine snob would
allow this to influence their purchasing decisions; the knowledgeable are aware
of the parallels with the other great example of wines which eschew upper
classifications; I'm thinking of the IGT Super Tuscans, of course. Once the
fermentation has finished, Blue Nun sees a very short period of ageing in metallic vat - oak is not felt to
benefit the character of the wine, a lesson many other winemakers of current
times would do well to learn. The result is a wine of incomparable quality, and I
was recently fortunate enough to be invited to taste through some venerable
vintages of Blue Nun. Amazingly, Abbess Hildegard Schtoppenfloppen (above right
- the Abbess on realising the 1947 has all been drunk), who
currently oversees Blue Nun PR, was shocked to discover a few gaps in their wine
library, as the 1921, 1947 (a truly great vintage, which I have tasted many
times) and 1949 were unavailable. Naturally I was only too happy to help,
rescuing the tasting with several magnums of each from my extensive cellar.
Another boost for the ego of a wine writer which is, after all, what it's all
about. Not to mention free junkets to foreign lands, and plenty of free booze, of course. I'll be on a quango next, just you watch.
(1/4/05)
Blue Nun - Tasting Notes
Tasted on April 1st, 2005. Click
to locate
stockists.
Blue Nun 2002: Good, colour. Losing its youthful flourish from the
nose. Clean, elderflower and wet stone notes remain. Full, plump palate, but
with great balance. A very good vintage for the drinker rather than the
investor. The currently available vintage for most markets, including the Far
East. Drink 2015 - 2055. 17.5+/20
Blue Nun 2001: Simply captivating. Stunning pure nose of sweet, sugared
almonds and talc. Plump palate, rich, surely at Auslese level despite the QbA
classification (which should be ignored). Great acidity and grip. Stunning
structure. What a vintage! This is another 1945 in the making. Drink 2040 -
2100. 19+/20
Blue Nun 1949: Now for a real treat; the famous trio of vintages
spanning 1947 - 1949. Sourced through Christie's; two vintages (this and the
1947) from my own cellar. From a magnum. Stunning colour; rich, deep, golden
honey. A superb nose, of salt, and grass just crushed underfoot. And a mineral
note too, which pervades the palate, with notes of honeysuckle and nettles
waving in the wind. Such youthful power! This remains fabulous, and will do so
for four decades yet. Drink now - 2045. 19.5+/20
Blue Nun 1948: The comparable 1948; from the cellars at the abbey,
carried to the tasting by the fair hand of Abbess Hildegard Schtoppenfloppen.
Despite bottling in standard format this shows no signs of significant age. The
colour is appropriate, a golden-brown, and the nose is delightful, with nuances
of seaweed and acacia. Thick, viscous palate, a hallmark of this vintage. Oily
consistency, and oily flavour too. Wonderful character, and this is such good value
coming after the incredible '47. Drink now - 2035. 19.5+/20
Blue Nun 1947: Hushed silence. Venerable respect. Only on rare occasions
do such tastings come around, once or twice in a lifetime. The 1947. Respectful
tasters passed the glasses under their noses, and the wine slipped across a
dozen palates. Glorious deep, glinting, golden hue. The nose is pure honey and
lemon freshness, with notes of botrytis which marks this vintage. Wonderful
depth on the palate, great structure. Powerful and yet gentle, austere and yet
forthcoming, balanced and yet forward, open, almost lush. Cloudberry fruit and
notes of camel dung, with a fresh, mouth-watering fluidity like that of a
freshly sabred Mexican cactus. Glorious powerhouse of a finish, which goes on
and on and on, like a pretentious and tedious tasting note. Glorious...words
fail me. How can one describe perfection? 20/20
Blue Nun 1921: A real surprise here, as no-one (except myself, of
course) was expecting the
venerable 1921 to make an appearance. But you would be amazed what can be
secreted beneath a nun's habit. Lovely colour, roasted brown with a touch of
murky sediment, to be expected in a wine of this great age. Floral aromas, like
that of the nocturnal moth-mesmerising flowers of the rainforest. Roasted meat
(crocodile?) on the palate, with a full, rounded, rich texture. Knocks the
d'Yquem of the same vintage into a cocked hat. Glorious! Drink now - 2020. 19/20
Blue Nun 1830: Direct from the cellars of the abbey again. A respected
vintage, although not my favourite of the 19th century. Dark brown colour, again
with some sediment, and a little grit too. Interesting nose, not so much
farmyard, more reminiscent of a bull's armpit. Good palate though, fresh and
decisive, provided you sieve it through your teeth. Delightful flavours of nun's
habits and wet paving slabs, defying the more animalistic character found on the
nose. This is holding up very well, and is eminently preferable to the Madeiras
of the early 20th century which less educated drinkers seem to adore. Drink now. 18/20
Blue Nun 1462: After the adulating crowd had dispersed, a select few,
including myself, were admitted into the abbey's cellars for what, with any
lesser wine, would have been the main event - the ancient 1462. This is no
ancient barrel, topped up with each passing vintage as the wine evaporates, as
can be found in some wine villages. This is the real deal - two small leather
flasks of the 1462 recently recovered from a shipwreck off the coast of Sicily.
Seal still intact, ullage impossible to inspect. Small pours, obviously. Muddy
brown, a little green at the edges. Notes of diesel fumes, sewage (Brett?) and
salivating dog-breath. Very fluid, elegant, venerable palate. Very salty, musty,
and showing its age. A long finish, caressing the palate with notes of
acrylamide and bark chips. Just past á pointe, I feel. Nevertheless, a
testament to the winemaking skills of ancient times, and a deliriously
delightful end to a magnificent tasting. 20/20
