Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon S
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–12 years from vintage release
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
roasted lamb chops, beef tenderloin, aged hard cheeses
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Weingut Bernhart's Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 'S' is a masterful expression of cool-climate Bordeaux varieties grown on the historic German-French border in the southern Pfalz. The 'S' designation denotes a premium selection, indicating low yields, selective hand-harvesting, and extensive aging in French oak barriques. The vines thrive on the complex Kalkmergel (limestone marl) soils of Schweigen, which impart a distinctive mineral tension and elegant structure to the ripe, dark fruit character of the blend. This cross-border terroir, where vineyards literally weave between Germany and Alsace, infuses the wine with a unique cultural and geological heritage, bridging German precision with classic French complexity.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Located in the southern Pfalz municipality of Schweigen-Rechtenbach, right on the German-French border, Weingut Bernhart is a highly acclaimed family-run estate led by Gerd Bernhart. The winery is renowned for its unique cross-border terroir, managing historic vineyards such as the Sonnenberg, where limestone-rich soils yield exceptionally elegant, mineral-driven wines. As a member of the prestigious VDP, Bernhart focuses on traditional craftsmanship and sustainable viticulture, specializing in powerful, expressive Spätburgunder and precise, structured Weissburgunder and Grauburgunder. Their wines, aged in traditional oak casks and barriques, beautifully reflect the complex Kalkmergel soils of this historic border region. Address: Hauptstraße 19, 76889 Schweigen-Rechtenbach, Pfalz, Germany. Website: https://www.weingut-bernhart.de