German
The affable Rainer Schnaitmann is the flagship winemaker and the driving force behind the entire Württemberg region. He has been marketing his wines under his own name since 1997 and proves year after year that he is an exceptionally talented winemaker who understands a wide variety of grape varieties. Most of his vineyards are located in the premier Württemberg site of Fellbacher Lämmler, which is characterized by an elevation difference of up to 100 meters, resulting in a wide range of microclimates and Keuper soils with varying levels of limestone and gypsum content. Among Rainer Schnaitmann’s wine selection, his impressive Pinot Noirs and Lembergers (Blaufränkisch) stand out; in particular, the “Große Gewächse” from the Fellbacher Lämmler vineyard hold their own against German and Austrian competitors.
Untertürkheimer Straße 4
70734 Fellbach, Germany
Phone +49 711 / 574616
Winery Size 26 ha
Member of VDP
Rainer Schnaitmann (who actually studied architecture) didn’t take over his father’s winery until the late 1990s, but before that he completed a viticulture program in Geisenheim, including internships in New Zealand and South Tyrol. He was convinced that his vineyards held a vast treasure worth unearthing, and he had at least sensed what a fascinating and wonderful profession it is to be a “Wengerter” (vineyard worker). In 1997, he released his first vintage under his own label, produced from just 3 hectares of vineyards at the time. He also recognized early on the advantages of natural viticulture, guided by the motto: “In the end, it’s mainly about leaving as much as possible out, so as to damage as little as possible of what nature has given us.” Since 2023, he has been working biodynamically—according to the rules of the respekt-BIODYN association. Success was not long in coming: a member of the VDP since 2006, and 5 stars from Eichelmann, Falstaff, and Gault&Millau. In 2023, Vinum even attributed “the earthy, mineral character of a Burgundian Grand Cru” to his Spätburgunder GG.
His Lemberger wines (selected primarily from Burgenland clones) possess cool aromas and a delicate structure, much like the very best Blaufränkisch examples. The red wines are aged almost exclusively in wooden barrels, yet these wines are never overbearing or dominated by the wood. The range of varieties includes Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Muscat among the white wines, as well as Trollinger, Pinot Noir, Lemberger, and Schwarzriesling among the red wines. Rainer demonstrates the necessary finesse with all varieties.