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| Chateau/Producer: | Schwarz | | Wine Name: | Zweigelt | | Wine Score: | 85 | | Notes: | Light to deep red in color; minor sign of age at edges. Nose of spicy light fruits, menthol. Medium to light-bodied, extremely fruity, smooth but tannins don't match the very sharp, spicy fruit. | | Tasting Date: | 2004-11-30 | | Production Notes: | Three men in search of something extraordinary, 12 hectares of vineyard in the depths of Burgenland's Seewinkel and the will to put visions into action. These are the elements that gave rise to Austria's most innovative viticultural project of recent years.
The three men involved begin with Johann (Hans) Schwarz, a weighty butcher from Andau who has gained national renown for the super high quality of his meat products. But above all, Schwarz sees himself as a vintner. His great passion is his 12 hectares of vines planted to Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner and Zweigelt. For many years Schwarz tended his vines under the expert direction of Alois Kracher, one of Austria's greatest vintners and the second man in the story. In 1999 they decided to start making wines from these precious vines with their friend Manfred Krankl (Sine Qua Non) of California winemaking fame. In Schwarz' words, the concept is as follows: "Luis, Manfred and I consider my vineyards as a huge playground. Here, we want to break new ground. We want to experiment and take risks." These are wines of independent personalities, uncompromising in quality, and not fixed on regional traditions.
Schwarz Weiss
This wine is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Gruner Veltliner. The wine has a mighty structure and combines the steely fruit of Chardonnay with the spiciness of Gruner Veltliner. Green tea notes on the nose lead to a palate that is soft and mellow witha ripe and balanced acidity.
Schwarz Rot
100% Zweigelt, this wine reveals impressive varietal character. The wine captivates with its dark, garnet-ruby color and amazing plum aromatics. Its intense flavors, fine tannins and long, refined finish remind one of a modern Spanish growth or the great reds of the new world. |
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