In the glass
What it pairs with
-
Grilled lamb chops
Black pepper and smoke flatter charred lamb. -
Wild boar ragu
Firm tannin and dark fruit pair with gamey ragu.
How to serve Knipser Syrah
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass — the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Grilled lamb chops, Wild boar ragu. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Knipser planted Syrah in the Pfalz in the mid-1990s; the bottling sits alongside the Cabernet-blend Cuvee X.
Facts
- Producer
- Weingut Knipser
- Grapes
- Syrah
- Classification
- Pfalz Pradikatswein
- Oak
- French oak ageing
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- EUR 22 to 35 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3 to 12 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1996
Frequently asked about Knipser Syrah
What does Knipser Syrah taste like?
Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, medium acidity with a long finish. A 1990s-vintage Pfalz Syrah bottling: black pepper, blackberry, smoke and firm tannin from north-Pfalz parcels.
When should I drink Knipser Syrah?
Drink 3 to 12 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Knipser Syrah?
Grilled lamb chops is the canonical pairing; Wild boar ragu is the other strong match. Black pepper and smoke flatter charred lamb.
Is Knipser Syrah vegan?
No — the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.
What grapes are in Knipser Syrah?
The blend is Syrah. The wine is classified as Pfalz Pradikatswein.