Unbottled – Beurer Stettner Mönchberg Lemberger

The alphabetical last German wine region in this series is Wuerttemberg which stretches from a part of the Taubertal to the Lake Constance. I chose the typical red grape variety Lemberger which is known as Blaufraenkisch in Austria.

The Beurer Lemberger Stettner Moenchberg Schalksberg Grosses Gewaechs is one of the winery’s top red wines. After a selective harvest, the grapes are lightly crushed and macerated. The wine then spends 20 months in 300 l barrels. Finally, the wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined, with only a small amount of sulphur added.

As a big fan of Blaufränkisch, I now appreciate the distinctiveness of Lemberger wines. The Schalksberg starts with notes of fresh red fruits, reminiscent of redcurrants. Apart from the fruitiness, you can find quite a lot of spices as well as perfectly integrated tannins. There is a hint of oak, but it gives the wine just a bit of structure. Overall, I love the wine, and compared directly to the Austrian version, the Beurer is more elegant and refined.