The Hanseatic Claret

Stretching from the Baltic Sea in the east to the North Sea in the west, the Hanseatic League – alternatively Deutsche Hansa or simply Hansa – was the dominant mercantile and military force in northern Europe during the Early Modern Period. The word Hansa comes from Middle Low German (“Middle” refers to the historical period, as opposed to “Old”, whereas “Low” refers to the lowlands in the north, unrelated to social status), meaning convoy or guild. The name of Germany’s national carrier, Lufthansa, also stems therefrom.
Established in 1356, the Hanseatic League was an alliance of merchant guilds, towns and cities. Its raison d’être was to protect the economic and political interests of members, not unlike the Old Swiss Confederacy. Lübeck was the capital, judicial seat and shipbuilding centre of the Hanseatic League. Strategically located, Lübeck was the gateway to the vital maritime trade routes in northern Europe, where goods such as cloth, metalwork, salt and wine from the North Sea travelled eastward, while materials such as amber, cereal, fur and timber from the Baltic Sea travelled westward. One of the enduring legacies of the Hanseatic League is the Weser Renaissance, part of the wider Northern Renaissance.
At one point, the Hanseatic League was powerful and ambitious enough to rage wars against the Scandinavian countries, whilst ruffling feathers with England. It took the combined force of hostility from Poland (defeated the Teutonic Knights) and Russia (closed the important port in Novgorod), competition from the Netherlands (invented corporate governance, e.g. the board of directors system) and Italy (developed modern banking, e.g. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the oldest surviving bank in the world established in 1472, which became financially stricken in recent years), and invasion from Sweden during the Thirty Years’ War to end the Hanseatic League’s dominance in the region.
The gradual decline of the Hanseatic League continued and, when it finally ceased to exist in 1862, there were only 3 member-cities left: Lübeck, Hamburg and Bremen. Officially Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg) and Freie Hansestadt Bremen (Free Hanseatic City of Bremen), both Hamburg and Bremen are not just “free” and Hanseatic, referring to their illustrious history, but also 2 of the 16 Bundesländer (Federal States) of Germany.
Why is Lübeck, dubbed “Queen of the Hansa”, merely Hansestadt Lübeck (Hanseatic City of Lübeck), missing the “free” and Bundesland (Federal State) status? Lübeck was indeed Freie und Hansestadt Lübeck (Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck) until 1937, when Adolf Hitler decreed that it be absorbed by Prussia. The Führer held a grudge against Lübeck, since the city refused to allow him to campaign there in 1932.
The word “Rotspon”, of Low German origin, originally means red wood or red horse. Rotspon also refers to a unique style of German red wine, produced in France (traditionally Bordeaux), shipped to Germany, then matured and bottled in Hanseatic cities. In the past, Rotspon used to be finer and more expensive than clarets, an opinion shared by Napoléon Bonaparte, no less. That could be due to two reasons. First, not unlike Scotland, the cool and damp climate in northern Germany is ideal for slow maturation. Second, the Hanseatic League had the means to purchase quality oak barrels to cultivate and refine the wines, almost following the Spanish elaboración concept, when Bordeaux could not afford to.

Rotspon Hamburger Rotspon 2010
A classic bordelais blend – more inclined to the Right Bank – of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from AOC Bordeaux Supérieur matured in Hamburg. Rich garnet with cardinal-carmine rim, the aromatic nose offers blackberry, mulberry, cinnamon, sous bois and geranium. Supported by lively acidity, juicy tannins and clear minerality, the expressive palate delivers bilberry, cranberry, nutmeg, dark chocolate and sweet oak. Medium-full bodied at 13%, the fruity entry continues through a fleshy mid-palate, leading to a supple finish. Jacky I.F. Cheong

Regional Importer: Rotspon HK Ltd; W: www.rotspon.hk; E: [email protected]; T: +852 9730 3173

Jacky I.F. Cheong is a legal professional by day and columnist by night. Having spent his formative years in Britain,
France, and Germany, he regularly writes about wine, fine arts, classical music, and politics in several languages