10/3/25 - 

When I say these are some of the most exciting new wines to New York that I have tried in a while it is not a understatement. Sample bottles had just hit the shores when I had a chance to try these over dinner back in August and I have been anxiously awaiting their arrival ever since. Bernhard Huber hasn't had a U.S. importer for a few years now so this is the first time since 2017 that they are being brought into the market. A duo of white wines have just arrived while we can expect their Spätburgunder, and additional Chardonnays later this year.
 
When I see Pinot Blanc and Gris blended together, my mind goes to wines of Alsace or Alto Adige, but the Bernhard Huber Breisgau was unlike anything I had tried before from those grapes. The nose was vibrant with yellow apple, lemon zest, white flowers and a flinty minerality. The wine was medium towards full bodied with great freshness and acidity allowing for a long, salty finish. Its counterpart, Malterdinger, is 100% Chardonnay, and upon tasting it I would have guessed it was village level White Burgundy. The wine had perfectly integrated reduction with deep concentrated flavor that is rich with great texture and long finish. The balance was there with acid to bring freshness and keep you coming back for more. I can picture this wine aging incredible well for years!

Just as these wines resemble those of Burgundy, their roots also come from the Cistercian monks as well. The monks arrived in Malterdingen over 700 years ago and found shell limestone weather soil and made an estate called 'Curia' in the area of Mönchhofmatten where Huber's winery is still located today. They brought their winemaking expertise and Burgundian grape varietals with them.
 
In more recent history, Bernhard and his wife Barbara took over the family's vines in 1987 and began estate bottling. Previous generations had sold grapes to the local cooperative. Once taking the realm, he limited yields and improved vineyard concentration. After passing away from cancer in 2014 his son Julian took over management of the vineyards and has only continued to improve the family's wines. New vineyards are planted with much higher density, vines are individually pruned, and farming has shifted to organic. When interviewed by the VDP Julian spoke to how his father Bernhard, "shaped me the most with his meticulousness, courage and passion for perfection in the vineyards and wine." He added that his philosophy is, "less is more. We want to concentrate on the essential and the given" and that his next goal is "to work even closer to nature and concentrate on the essentials." I think it is clear that the wines from Julian are just going to continue to shine. With their return to the U.S. market I think we are going to begin seeing a lot more of these wines, and for good reason. Snag some today before the secret is out on how delicious the wines are. 
 
-Hanna Krilov Cohen

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