Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir Le Schulz dry dry 2016

Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir "Le Schulz" dry 2016

1. Classification and speciality

The "Le Schulz" is a special cuvée within Chat Sauvage's Pinot Noir range. The 2016 vintage is generally regarded as outstandingfor red wines in the Rheingau : a cool, long growing season with a perfect autumn resulted in wines with optimal physiological ripeness, intense aromas, fine structure and great freshness. This Pinot Noir thus embodies the ideal synthesis of the classic, elegant vintage and the unadulterated, terroir-emphasised philosophy of the winery.

2. Sensory description (dry)

• Colour: Medium to light garnet red, clear and shiny.

• Nose: Significantly more complex and deeper than a young vintage. The red fruit notes (ripe raspberry, sour cherry, wild cranberry) are fused with earthy and spicy secondary aromas: fine forest floor, dried thyme, a delicate smoky note and the cool mineral core typical of Chat Sauvage (wet slate, pebbles). The aromatic palette is concentrated and elegant, without a heavy sweetness.

• Palate: Medium-bodied with a brilliant, linear acidity that gives the wine its shape and enormous length. The tanninsare fine-grained, fully integrated and provide a velvety but precise texture. The fruit-acid-mineral interplay continues in the mouth, accompanied by a salty, almost saline note on the finish. The balance between ripeness and freshness is excellent.

• Overall impression: A serious, profound and very long-lived Pinot Noir, showing more complexity and depth than the often more accessible 2017. It is a wine of great transparency that clearly reflects the terroir and the classic 2016 vintage.

3. Drinking recommendation & potential

• Maturity & drinking window: The 2016 has a long potential due to its pronounced acidity and structure . It is currently in an excellent drinking phase(2024+), in which the primary fruit ideally complements the developed flavours. Its peak is probably still ahead of it; it can gainanother 5-8 years of complexitywith good ageing .

• Serve: Serve at 15-17°C. Decanting is recommended (30-60 minutes before drinking) to open up the complex flavours and allow the wine to fully develop.

• Food pairing: Ideal with sophisticated, aromatic dishes: Roasted game (saddle of venison), pike-perch or salmon, mushroom ragouts, as well as mature hard cheeses. Its acidity and structure also allow it to be paired with slightly fatty, savoury dishes.

4. Rating and style classification

The Chat Sauvage "Le Schulz" 2016 is a prime example of the new Rheingau Pinot Noir elegance, moving stylistically between the reduced power of a classic Burgundy and the cool minerality of the Rheingau. Compared to the 2017 Rüdesheimer, the 2016 "Le Schulz" appears deeper, more serious and longer-lasting.

Typical of Chat Sauvage and the 2016 vintage:spontaneous fermentation, ageing in large, old wooden barrels, no fining, only light filtration. The authenticity of the terroir and the character of the vintage take centre stage. A wine for connoisseurs who appreciate the finesse-rich, acidity-driven and mineral interpretation of Pinot Noir in the top German range.

Conclusion:An outstanding, precise Pinot Noir that still has room for development and perfectly combines the strengths of the Chat Sauvage estate and the great 2016 vintage.