Blitzkrieg of tannins

Germany makes pinot noir. Yeah, I didn’t know either. That is, until I picked up a bottle of Sander pinot noir 2004 from the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op ($19.99). Turns out, pinot noir is Germany’s most-planted red wine grape, under the name Spätburgunder. And here I thought the Germans were such beer whores they didn’t have the time or sobriety to do anything but plant some Riesling and call it a day. So, how’s the wine? Meh (it’s a real word now, I swear). To be honest, I wanted to make some esoteric references to World War II (a blitzkrieg of tannins!), but they’re eluding me at the moment. I mean, the whole “French wine made by Germans” angle was kind of the entire reason I bought the dang bottle. Obligatory wine snobbery: One man’s Burgundian is another man’s astringent. Oh, and cherries. Definitely cherries. How you like them tasting notes?!