Black Print – 2021

Markus Schneider – Black Print – Red Wine Cuvée

The Markus Schneider Black Print 2021 is a charming red wine cuvée made from the grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blaufränkisch, and Syrah. On the nose, it offers aromas of dark fruits, ripe black cherry, elderberry, and stewed plums, complemented by the sweetness of dark chocolate and a fine herbal spice. On the palate, the Schneider Black Print is powerful and dense, velvety with soft tannins; its concentrated body is carried by a harmonious interplay of sweetness and acidity, and the alcohol is well integrated.

The idea for this red wine came to Markus Schneider at a time when restaurants were still being awarded for their overseas wine lists and wine drinkers loved powerful, fruit-forward red wines, which did not yet exist in Germany, a country characterized by Pinot Noir. It owes its name to its deep red, almost black color, which is nearly as black as printer's ink. This idea of a powerful, full-bodied, yet juicy red wine from Germany, captured in a bottle by the visionary Markus Schneider, was responsible for his international breakthrough.

Markus Schneider – Winemaking

The vines for this top red wine cuvée from Markus Schneider grow in various vineyard sites in the Palatinate. Finding the optimal harvest time for the very different grape varieties is the greatest challenge here. For this reason, Markus Schneider takes a close look at the grapes, the pulp, and the seeds during his daily walks through the vineyards. The experience gathered over the last 25 years usually says more than a glance at the refractometer. At the right time, ripe, healthy grapes are harvested and gently processed in the modern estate building. The individual grape varieties are fermented and aged separately and later blended into the Black Print. After classic mash fermentation in open vats and in the red wine fermenter, and a maceration period of 10 days, the mash is gently pressed under low pressure and subsequently aged—partly in multi-year and partly in new wooden barrels—without any external intervention (fining, etc.).

Black Print – A Wine and Its Values

• Origin: Wine from Germany
• Growing Region: Palatinate
• Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blaufränkisch, Syrah
• 14% vol. Alcohol
• 4.9 g/l Acidity
• 0.5 g/l Residual Sugar