Discover the masterful wines of Friedrich Schatz
Sometimes you discover wines that leave you speechless. The wines of Friedrich Schatz fall squarely into that category. A German making Lemberger in Malaga. This German winemaker settled in the Serranía de Ronda, near Málaga — a beautiful, mountainous nature reserve with a fiercely hot climate, but cold nights. And it's here that Schatz planted some rather surprising grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, and Lemberger (aka Blaufränkisch). Local winemakers thought he was loco — crazy. But Schatz comes from a family that has been making wine since 1641...
Bizarrely elegant wines
So Friedrich Schatz was not crazy at all when he started making wine near Ronda. After extensive research he found 3 hectares at 700 metres altitude where conditions were ideal. Further research revealed which grape varieties would thrive there. Now Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Blaufränkisch, and Petit Verdot grow on the site.
Lekker Sapje now imports the Lemberger and the Petit Verdot into the Netherlands. Both are out of this world — with just 13% alcohol, beautiful acidity, layered complexity, finesse, and an improbable elegance for such a hot region. Not cheap, but worth every euro. Top sommelier Saskia Smeenk of Michelin-starred restaurant FG* in Rotterdam is a huge fan.
