Rainer Schnaitmann Steinwiege Lemberger 2018
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Winemaker Notes
In the glass shiny, dark cherry red color, gently brightening towards the edge. Subtle notes of wild herbs, eucalyptus, thyme, juniper wood are complemented by
flavors of cassis, blackberry and sour cherry. On the palate it’s juicy, punchy and elegant with stimulating acidity and fine grained tannins. All embedded in a charming fruity body.
A wine for everyday, pair with sautéed meat, roast beef or roast pork, giblets, smoked and air-dried ham.
Other Vintages
2017-
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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.