Discover Cuvée X – the top red wine blend from the Knipser winery in the Palatinate
The Knipser Cuvée X 2020 is a dry red wine blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon—essentially a classic Bordeaux blend in the style of the Médoc, but hailing from the Palatinate. Like no other wine, it represents the Knipser house: a top-tier red wine blend that is outstanding, full of character, refuses to be confined to a mold, and is a long-distance runner that opens up more and more over time to reveal its full potential.
It was only in the 1980s that winemaker Werner Knipser "imported" the first vine cuttings from France, made possible for the first time by EU law. At a time when no one could have guessed what a legendary wine these vines would one day produce, he garnered more disapproval than praise for planting Bordeaux vines in the Palatinate. Today, Cuvée X, now made from vines over 30 years old, is a cult wine that stands up to international comparison with ease.
On the nose, the Knipser Cuvée X shows fruity, bittersweet notes of blackcurrants; on the palate, it is shaped by 24 months in new French oak barriques, yet remains juicy. This red wine displays density and depth, smelling as if you are sniffing a small leather tobacco pouch while sitting in the middle of a cedar forest after a summer rain.
A sophisticated red wine that pairs just as well with game dishes as it does with braised lamb or seared beef.
Winemaking – Knipser Winery
Quality vineyard work is the prerequisite for the best wines, which is why important steps are taken at the Knipser winery to reduce yields through short pruning in winter and green harvesting (vendange vert) in summer. The vines for this red blend grow in the best vineyards characterized by calcareous marl soil around Laumersheim. This limestone originated from deposits of calcareous algae that formed reefs in a tropical sea during the Miocene; it is found in the subsoil of the Großkarlbach Burgweg, Laumersheim Kirschgarten, Laumersheim Steinbuckel, and Dirmstein Mandelpfad sites. These sites are ideal for all grape varieties that rely on body and benefit from well-buffered acidity.
Selective hand-harvesting of the grapes took place in 2020 at the end of September in several passes to ensure optimally ripe fruit. At the winery, all grapes are destemmed. This is followed by classic maceration, which takes several weeks, before the wine is gently pressed in a tank press and, after a short settling period during which the heavy lees separate, transferred to wooden barrels. Here, malolactic fermentation takes place, converting malic acid into milder lactic acid, which gives the wine softness and a pleasant mouthfeel. The aging process in new French oak barriques lasts 24 months. Bottling took place in the August before the harvest after next.
Cuvée X – a wine and its values
- Origin: Wine from Germany
- Region: Palatinate
- VDP. Knipser Winery
- Grape varieties: 50% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 14% vol. alcohol
- 5.2 g/l acidity
- 0.2 g/l residual sugar
- Awards: Vinum 93 points, Falstaff 93+