Kendermann Weinhaus Range
Look out for the Kendermann range of premium German wines available exclusively in Dunnes Stores this summer. I recently tasted the range at an on-line tasting with Alison Fleming MW, the Kendermann Export Sales Director and Karen O’Donoghue the Dunnes Stores wine buyer, and I have to the tasting was a real eye opener.
German wine punches WAY above its weight, though sadly their wines are not on anyone’s radar these days, which is a pity. There is a perception that Germany wines are sweet, which is completely untrue. True Germany does produce sweet wines but the sweet wine production makes up 25% of total production these days and in fact most German wines tend bone dry and very very elegant.
There are four wines in the Kendermann Weinhaus range available in Dunnes. Known as the “Soil Ambassador’s Range” the wines reflect the soil styles the grapes are grown on. Look out for the 2019 Pinot Noir Rosé Kalkstein €11.50 which will be available in Dunnes Stores from this month onwards. Made from Pinot Noir grapes grown on Limestone soil, the wine is vinified using the classic Rosé method, i.e. skin contact; they also pick the grapes early to retain the acidity. I loved this wine, it is a bone dry Rosé, with lovely high acidity levels and flavours of red currant and raspberry, elegant with a lovely minerality shining through, make sure you give it a try. Perfect for summer drinking.
The other wines in range, currently to be found on the Dunnes shelves are the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Kalkstein €11.50 and the 2019 Riesling Schiefer Steillage €11.00 both superb elegant wines reflecting the limestone (Sauvignon) and slate soil (Riesling) where the grapes were grown. At these prices both wines punch above their weight in terms of price/quality. Another point to note is that they are vegan wines.
Finally, later in the year, Kenderman will launch the fourth Weinhaus wine, a red this time, and once again it will be exclusive to Dunnes Stores. The 2019 Pinot Noir Terra Quartar is due for launch in Autumn 2021. We tasted a tank sample which was excellent. Terra Quarter is the loess soil, or wind blown silt from the glacial era soil they grow the Pinot Noir on, the quality was superb, elegant and restrained and this is very reasonably priced Pinot Noir for diehard fans of the grape to get their hands on when eventually it arrives on our shelves!
