VDP.ESTATE
MARTIN SCHWARZ

VDP: What is so special about your winery?

Martin Schwarz: We are lateral entrants and the 1st generation as winemakers. Without family tradition, but unbound and free of conventions, we see ourselves as wine pioneers of the East. We began very enthusiastically 20 years ago with just under half a hectare of steep slopes in the MEISSNER KAPITELBERG. After the first few years, we were disillusioned: no vineyards to lease, no affordable building, we had almost emigrated... Then a stroke of luck: we were able to revive a historic vineyard, clear trees, put up dry stone walls and finally plant Chardonnay, Pinot, Riesling and a little Nebbiolo. Today it is our most important and also most beautiful vineyard, the FRIEDSTEIN in Radebeul, where our great growths will be produced in the future. In the meantime, we have been able to expand to 6 hectares and vinify in our own winery, a historic 18th century vineyard in Meißen, beautifully situated directly on the Elbe.

VDP: What is your winery philosophy?

Martin Schwarz: Everything needs time to develop, not only the wine. You have to endure that and still remain in suspense.

VDP: For what wine style do you strive?

Martin Schwarz: Site, terroir, quality, wooden barrel. It is worth the effort to keep pushing the limits of what is possible in the steep sites. Then come finesse, elegance and character. Our favourite grape varieties are the Rieslings, which wonderfully reflect the site characteristics of our granite weathered soils. The Burgundies, which are endowed with minerality and animating freshness in our climate zone.

VDP: Which of your wines would you recommend to someone who does not yet know your winery – as an introduction, so to speak?

Martin Schwarz: Due to the initially small vineyard area with many different grape varieties, we started with Cuveés back then, Weiß & Grauburgunder, Riesling & Traminer, Spätburgunder & Portugieser. To this day, they are one of our trademarks, as they show that by combining two grape varieties, independent wines full of character and complexity can be created.

VDP: Of which wine are you particularly proud?

Martin Schwarz: We are particularly proud of our Pinot Noir FRIEDSTEIN, which shows that great red wines can also be produced in Saxony. This is repeatedly confirmed by blind tastings in which we were able to achieve very good rankings.

VDP: Why did you become a vintner?

Martin Schwarz: The beginning was probably the Château Margaux 1975, which I preferred to Latin back in my school days and drank with a good friend in the Karlsaue in Kassel. Since then, I have been intensively involved with everything concerning winemaking and the wine world. Then, when I read about Geisenheim in "All about Wine" during my electrical engineering studies, it was clear to me that I only wanted to become a winegrower.

VDP: Do you have role models or mentors?

Martin Schwarz: In the 80s, the big wineries in Bordeaux and especially in Burgundy were the icons. That changed in the 90s when I discovered the top Rieslings and top Burgundies of German winemakers. My mentor was undoubtedly Joachim Heger, who had a lasting influence on me.

VDP: What are your next goals?

Martin Schwarz: They are very demanding and essential. To put the business, in which we have invested a lot, on stable feet. To fully exploit the high potential of viticulture in Saxony and to make it better known to the outside world.

VDP: How do you combine tradition and innovation?

Martin Schwarz: "Tradition is yesterday's innovation" hit the nail on the head by a well-known winemaker. However, tradition also contains a lot of well-selected experience that needs to be preserved. And the wheel is always being reinvented anyway... The core elements remain unchanged for us: Steillage, manual labour, low yields, selection, wooden barrel, long yeast storage.

VDP: Why should people still visit your winery?

Martin Schwarz: Here, in our region, there is so much to discover: the old town of Meissen with the porcelain manufactory and Albrechtsburg Castle, Moritzburg Castle and Park, of course the baroque city of Dresden, the slopes of the Elbe in Dresden and Saxon Switzerland and much much more...