2018 Blaufrankisch Lutzmannsburg Alte Reben
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Tasting notes
Blend of 6–9 old-vine parcels on the Lutzmannsburg plateau. Vines 80–110 years old. This still seems so youthful, both in colour and aroma. Fragrant with dark-red and black fruit and lightly herbal/stemmy. Marked stone-dust character adds another dimension to the fruit. On the palate, the very beginning of bottle age (sweet leather) even though the fruit is still vibrant. Firm but really smooth tannins. The freshness not as dominant here as in the 2020 but the wine is finely balanced between fruit and tannic structure. (JH)
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Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Lutzmannsburg Alte Reben opens with a pure yet intense, coolish, spicy, very elegant and defined nose of crushed stones (crystalline rather than lime), spices, herbs and pepper as well as dark forest fruits, blackcurrant, black tea and pimento. Soft and charming yet silky, finessed and coolish on the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich yet stunningly refined and vivacious Blaufränkisch from a very warm year. The tannins are fine grained and intermingled with saline acidity and the tart, dark fruit, which is not sweet or charmingly round at all but ripe and very elegant or very Blaufränkisch. The finish is clear and cleansing if also a bit astringent and animal at this stage but promising, I prefer the 2019 for the moment, though, which is more round, sweet and juicy. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in April 2023.