# Merlot BIO (In Kleiner Auflage) (2021)

- **Producer:** Weingut Schönberger
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot
- **Region:** Burgenland, Austria
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €22
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, violet, herbaceous, black pepper, cedar, smoke, vanilla, forest floor, leather

## About this wine

Weingut Schönberger, located in Mörbisch am See in Austria's Burgenland region, has one of the most unique histories in the area. Founded in 1991 by Günther Schönberger, a former saxophonist for the famous Austrian pop-rock band EAV, the estate transitioned to fully certified biodynamic farming in the late 1990s. Today, his son Jakob Schönberger directs the estate, bringing a fresh energy to their low-intervention philosophy. The 'In Kleiner Auflage' (small edition) Merlot is a micro-production wine sourced from lean, stony soils of schist, limestone, and slate near Lake Neusiedl, showcasing a cooler, more structured expression of the grape.

## Interesting facts

- Founded by Günther Schönberger, former saxophonist for the legendary Austrian pop-rock band EAV (Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung).
- The wine is bottled completely unfined and unfiltered, preserving its raw, natural texture and complexity.
- The 'In Kleiner Auflage' designation highlights its micro-production, with only a few used barriques produced each year.

## Food pairing

This cool-climate Merlot features vibrant acidity and structured, fine-grained tannins that demand savory, rich dishes. Its earthy undertones and dark cherry fruit pair beautifully with game, roasted meats, and earthy mushrooms, while the wine's structure cuts through the fat of pork and lamb.

## Wine making process

Crafted with a minimal-intervention approach, the grapes are harvested entirely by hand from biodynamically farmed vineyards. The fruit undergoes spontaneous fermentation using only native yeasts to preserve the authentic character of the Leithaberg terroir. The wine is then aged for 10 to 12 months in seasoned (used) French oak barriques on the full lees (Vollhefe), which naturally protects and stabilizes the wine. To maintain its raw texture and complexity, it is bottled completely unfined and unfiltered, with only a minimal addition of sulfur at bottling.