Rainer Schnaitmann Simonroth Cuvee D 2018
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Silky ruby red in the glass. Scent of black pepper, bourbon vanilla, violet, licorice, smoked ham and juniper wood. Dark berries, cherry and dried plum round off the bouquet. On the palate, the spicy notes are finely integrated into the juicy dark fruit body. The silky dense tannic and acidic structure ensure an impressive balance, elegance and length.
Pair with duck, game, beef, lamb, goulash, vegetable dishes, stews.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Peppery notes of dried mint and tomato leaf lend savory complexities to ripe, cutting flavors of blackberry and sour-cherry preserves in this wine. A Merlot-dominant red (blended with Cabernet and Lemberger) fermented with 30% whole bunches, it's velveteen in texture but brightened by a thrilling angularity. Despite 12 months maturation in oak (30% new) it's pure in fruit. It's a grounded, noble wine with a vibrantly fresh demeanor.
The Schnaitmann family have been cultivating wine grapes for over 500 years in Fellbach, however the wine estate was not founded until 1997, when Rainer Schnaitmann, who was trained in architectural studies, decided to make his own wines. In the early 1990s, convinced that the regional vineyards held unrevealed potential, Rainer studied oenology and travelled abroad to learn how to make great wines. In 2006 he was invited to join the VDP. His Pinot Noir and Lemberger wines have achieved huge success, but every vintage Rainer Schnaitmann still strives for the creation of distinctive wines. The Gault & Millau "Aufsteiger des Jahres" lists Schnaitmann amongst the 100 best wine estates in Germany; in all major wine publications, it is listed as the absolute 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 of many people from the surrounding area of Stuttgart, which in some years can take up to 9 weeks.
Schnaitmann has been certified in organic viticulture since 2016.
Red wine from Germany, really? Yes, really. The country’s world class German Rieslings may be its vinous claim to fame, but 40% of wine production is red. The star is Pinot Noir, known as spätburgunder, which is the third most-planted grape in Germany. In the regions of Baden and Ahr, in fact, this varietal is actually number one. German Pinot Noir offers precisely delineated characteristics of juicy red fruit, spice and earthy minerality that stay light but vivid. Look for versions from Weingut Dautel, August Kesseler and Claus Schneider.
Another important German red wine is Blauer Portugieser, used for crisp, light-bodied wines. Dornfelder is also appreciated; it typically expresses a fun, grapey fruitiness that resembles Beaujolais. Smaller but still commercially significant plantings include Trollinger and Pinot Meunier. Even international varieties like Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot appear in some of the warmer regions.