At their very apogee, the top wines of Germany's Württemberg can be sinewy, nervy reds perfumed of flower and game.
If the word Lemberger is unfamiliar, the first thing to know is that this is the German word for what is called "Blaufränkisch" in Austria.
This is a grape that people have compared to a blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Nebbiolo - it can be elegant, lithe, herbal, and floral.
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Lemberger (Blaufränkisch) can be, in its most rarefied expression, both inky and ethereal, both primal and celestial. At its best, from Württemberg, there is a thrilling soil-transparency, a nervy grip, and an aromatic complexity that speaks of this cool-climate place.
Today, we offer one of the greatest expressions we've ever tasted from Germany, Roterfaden's 2020 Grand Cru bottling, the "Endschleife" for $51.95 per bottle.
If Austrian Blaufränkisch can be compared to the southern Rhône in its textural generosity, the plump, hedonistic fruit, and palate-coating density of fruit, the best German Lembergers speak more of the northern Rhône: nervous, tensile, agile, and perfumed.
Not only does the compact toughness-meet-elegance of the wine remind one of the great reds of Cornas, but the ancient amphitheater that Roterfaden farms here, with dense limestone soils and tiny, hand-worked terraces, recalls the landscape of Cornas (see picture).
At around 435 miles north of Cornas, Germany's Württemberg is a very northern place. Roterfaden is a husband-and-wife team that farms only a few hectares. Their work is beginning to turn heads and to (re)introduce this red-wine culture, well, as old as Cornas.
You have to taste to believe. However, with only a few hectares, there is not much wine to go around. We suggest that you get your orders in early.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
