Black Print – 2022

Markus Schneider – Black Print – Red Wine Cuvée from the Palatinate

The Markus Schneider Black Print 2022 is a fruity yet spicy red wine cuvée made from the grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blaufränkisch, and Syrah. Each of the grape varieties involved brings its own character to the wine. The Black Print features aromas of black currants, Morello cherries, and sloe, followed by notes of bay leaf, thyme, and a touch of pepper, while the aging process in wood adds fine toasted aromas. On the palate, the Schneider Black Print is pleasantly spicy, not overly fruit-forward, powerful, and full-bodied with soft tannins; its concentrated body is supported by a harmonious interplay of sweetness and acidity, with the alcohol being 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 bold, fruit-forward red wines, which were not yet available in Germany, a country dominated by Pinot Noir. It owes its name to its deep red, almost black color, which is nearly as dark as printer's ink. This vision of a bold, full-bodied, yet juicy red wine from Germany, bottled by the visionary Markus Schneider, sparked his international breakthrough. Thus, a fixed idea became a cult wine, a red wine brand Made in Germany.

Markus Schneider – Winemaking

The vines for this red wine cuvée by Markus Schneider grow in various vineyard sites with different soils and varying altitudes in the Palatinate around the cult winery in Ellerstadt. Determining the optimal harvest time for the very different grape varieties is the greatest challenge here. That is why Markus Schneider carefully inspects the grapes, the pulp, and the seeds during his daily walk through the vineyards. The experience gathered over the last 25 years usually says more than a look 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 matured separately and later blended to create the Black Print. After classic mash fermentation in open vats as well as in red wine fermenters, and a maceration period of 10 days, the mash is gently pressed under low pressure and subsequently aged—without external intervention (fining, etc.)—partly in multi-year and partly in new wooden barrels.

Black Print – a wine and its values

• Origin: Wine from Germany
• Growing region: Palatinate
• Grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blaufränkisch, and Syrah
• 14% vol. alcohol
• 5.6 g/l acidity
• 3.0 g/l residual sugar