Deep ruby color; plum, blackberry, black cherry, redcurrant, spice, smoke, graphite, forest floor on the nose and palate.
Dry; fine, light, dusty tannins, good acidity. Fruit forward. Medium body. Lemberger—also known as blaufrankisch or kekfrankos in Austria and Hungary—is known for its deep color and versatility with food pairing, especially red meats. The winery does whole-grape fermentation with three weeks on the skins to extract color and tannins. Aged for two years in old French oak barrels, so there is minimum oak influence. Bottled unfiltered. “Steinwiege” means “cradle of stones” and is the proprietary name for Schnaitmann’s pure varietal play. 13% ABV
The Schnaitmann family has been part of grape growing for more than 500 years, but the estate was not founded until 1997. Rainer Schnaitmann was trained as an architect, but decided to take a shot at making wine. He studied abroad to perfect his skills. The Gault & Millau “Aufsteiger des Jahres” lists Schnaitmann amongst the 100 best wine estates in Germany. It is listed at the top of Württemberg estates.
In 2006, Raianer joined the “Verband deutscher Prädikatsweingüter” (the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates, or VDP), the youngest wine estate until then. The grapes, planted on steep vineyards, are picked by hand with a team from the surrounding area of Stuttgart, which in some years can take up to nine weeks, notably long for a harvest. Schnaitmann has been certified in organic viticulture since 2016.
Schnaitmann Steinwiege Lemberger Dry Württemberg 2018 is gentle, food-friendly wine. With its light body, relaxed acidity, lower alcohol, and dark fruit fruitiness, it somewhat resembles a German-Austrian-Hungrian semi-version of pinot noir. There is a brambly, rustic tone to this, which will be attractive to some. Impressively long, dark-fruit finish. Don’t expect depth and erudite sophistication, anticipate an earthy, shall we say emphatically Germanic, red wine experience. Pair with beef, especially barbecue; roast beef; grilled lamb; roast pork; wild game—venison, boar; turkey and barbecue chicken; mushroom ravili. Cheese—briny, funky cheeses; feta, stilton, bergkäse, manchego, gouda, pepperjack, piave. $22-30
