Schwarz “Rot”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- This wine comes from the Leithaber, Burgenland appellation, one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. The area is particularly famous for its distinctive red and white wines.
- Due to the region’s closeness to Lake Neusiedl and the Leitha Mountains, the grapes enjoy a year-round macroclimate. Warm winds help in berry ripening, while colder evenings promote fruitiness and age-worthiness.
- Aged in a combination of new and used burgundy barrels as the regional laws specify, tasters will quickly understand the tongue-in-cheek “Rot” reference, and they will finish their evenings with a revelation of what is possible with this lesser-known native varietal from this region.
Varietal Composition: 100% Zweigelt
Elaboration: 16 months ageing with 50% in new barrique and 50% in used Burgundian barrels.
Tasting Notes: Dark ruby garnet in color with hints of violet. Aromas of dark berries, sour cherry, violets, herbs, cinnamon, vanilla and cardamom. On the palate it is juicy, elegant and structured with excellent complexity and well integrated tannins.
PRESS
2018 – 94 Falstaff
2019 – 93 Falstaff
2020 – 94 Falstaff
2021 – 95-97 Falstaff
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Hans Schwarz’s career actually began as a butcher, hence his nickname, “The Butcher”. Hans is a true “Burgenlander” which means he is a hunter and a farmer. His vines lay perched atop a plot in the unusually warm Andau sub-region of Burgenland, with a soil and sun exposure considered to be the greatest in all of Austria for dry red wines.
In the beginning, with the exception of a small production of the house wine “Giovanni”, the Schwarz family primarily grew and sold their grapes to the local winegrower’s cooperative and wine master Alois Kracher. Enthusiastic about the excellent quality of the grapes, the Alois encouraged him to try his hand as a winemaker. With the help of Kracher and Manfred Krankl (Sine Qua Non winery), the first wine under its own name came onto the market in 1999.
Following the success story of Hans Schwarz, his son Michael took over the winery in 2017, who had previously gained professional experience on the Saar, Mallorca, southern France and Australia.