Douro From Germany

March 18th, 2008 in Wine |

Submitted by Barry’s Wine Notes & Memories

A vineyard founded in 1990. Albrecht Schwengler only does RED wines! The grapes grown are: Zweigelt, Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah.

These cuvees are produced.
‘Beryll’ which consists of Zweigelt & Lemberger
‘Granat’..Zweigelt, Merlot & Cabernet Franc which spend 24 months in new oak..
and
‘Saphir’..Zweigelt, Merlot & Syrah..new
and used barrels.
Albrecht Schwegler Saphir 2004
Württemberg, Germany

Deep dense colour…animal aromas..sweet, treacle..Syrah..almost port-like..and this follows into the flavour..dry opening..bold tannins..power wine….if I had tasted blind..I would have said..

Douro Portugal..never Germany..
and certainly not Württemberg…
it needs food…which it got..
although maybe a steak would have
been better (I wasn’t sure what
was in the bottle).

I tried it again the next day..the nose has lost some of it’s fullness..but the tannins had softened…and it was more forthcoming. My tip now..decant at least 3 hours before drinking..or lay it down. It is not cheap( 35 Euros)…but as you’ll never get to buy it
(very little produced)..you can only dream folks.

Points 17 …
but this will be marked higher in 3-4 years…