Some names don’t translate well into English, and this quaint town on the Rhine river in Germany is one of them: Assmannshäuser. Of course, your inner fourteen-year-old will giggle, and that’s okay (so did mine). But don’t let that dissuade you from trying this awesome wine.
Spätburgunder –the German term for Pinot Noir– has been enjoying a renaissance for the past few years in Rheingau (the local wine region). On the nose, it is crunchy red fruit and fresh seaside roses. There is a hint of oak on the palate, with mineral and rose-hip tea notes layered under fresh pomegranate. A varietally correct Pinot Noir, and one especially suited to be paired with rotisserie chicken.
I picked this up for $17 in Philadephia, but YMMV.