Theise Manifesto

Beauty is more important than impact.

Harmony is more important than intensity.

The whole of any wine must always be more than the sum of its parts.

Distinctiveness is more important than conventional prettiness.

Soul is more important than anything, and soul is expressed as a trinity of family, soil and artisanality.

Lots of wines, many of them good wines, let you taste the noise. But only the best let you taste the silence. Contents

INTRODUCTION 1 WAGRAM 37

The Question of Dryness 2 Ecker 38 The 2012 Vintage 4 Ott 40 Highlights and Superlatives 5 Hard-Core List Wines 6 First Among Equals 6 KREMSTAL & KAMPTAL 42 When to Drink the Wines 7 My Use of the Word “Urgestein” 7 Berger 43 Secret Sweetness 8 Nigl 45 Vague Notions About Tasting Notes 8 Some Thoughts on Profundity 48 The Question of Organics 8 Bründlmayer 50 Austrian Red Wines 9 Schloss Gobelsburg 54 Hiedler 58 Hirsch 61 Styria 12

Hirschmann 12 WACHAU 63

Alzinger 64 BURGENLAND 13 Nikolaihof-Wachau 67

Prieler 13 Heidi Schröck 16 Axberg 71 Sattler 19 Hans Reisetbauer 71

SÜDBURGENLAND 21 REFERENCE 72 Wallner 22 Krutzler 24 Grape Varieties 72 Austrian Wine Laws 73 DAC 74 CARNUNTUM 26 Core List Wines 75

Glatzer 26 A Day on the Tasting Trip 28

WEINVIERTAL 30

Schwarzböck 31 H.u.M Hofer 33 Setzer 35 number of co-ops are among the best of their kindanywhere. culture. There negoçiants left, andthe small few are very order.and inamazinglyshort wine culture to reinvent itself, which it did, aggressively them seemricherandsweeter. the active ingredient ofanti-freeze intheirwines,tomake scummy winemerchants were discovered tohave used whole queasythingreached of itsapogeewhenascrum as cheaperalternatives tosweet German wines,andthe barely knowing. worth Too manyofthewineswere made culture untilthe mid-80s,hardly known abroad, and San Francisco. ethereal itcouldhave easilybeenNew York orChicago hours laterIsatatdinnerandateamealsomodern was amellow antiquity, andman,itwasEurope. Yet afew and now Iwasspying onabusystork, andallaround me the frogs whenIturnedoutmylightsthenightbefore, life.I’dbusiness withoutconcernforyour short-ass heard instants, where you feelthetingleofnature goingaboutits exterior ofhernest.It wasoneofthoseIt hasever beenthus almost eyeglambird level with avery whowastidyingthe rooftopstorks, itseems,andthatmorningIwas onevery critters thatstorks liketoeat.So there’s aplenitudeof lake with a huge reedy shoreline, full offrogs and other medieval littletown inBurgenland, nearabigshallow morning IawokeinmyhotelRust, ahandsome modern thantheGermans do. beautiful Old-World locale,theythemselves feelmore speak English, and though they live in an especially fine speak German” wouldsumitup. Not tomentiontheyall peoplearewere likeItalians surprised.“These except they you doknow isaccurate.Alotofyou have beenthere, and Austria, andthoughthere’s more foryou toknow, what Icanfind. them intowhatever mind-portal But you folkshave alotcomingatyou, soI’m goingtograbthesalientfactorsandwedge to early30s.Older people, letalonepersonsofmyPunic age, know thisstuffalready. The “you” I’m addressing issomeoneI’m presuming tobeawineprofessional inyour 20s Introduction Germany so, um,entertaining. andmultipleidentities,allthethingsthatmake struggles a wholelotfewerinternalcontradictions,ideological is concerned. There’s noidentitycriseshere, andthere’s I I This wasablessingindisguise, becauseitfor F S A Y A small-family estate wine t isnow overwhelmingly asmall-family estate wine dry wineculture.t isnow adry o, whatmustyou know? et itcanseembeautifullystrangethere. One irst, thiswasonlyafitfullyquality-orientedwine ustria isalsosimplerthanGermany where wine ctually most of you have atleast some sense of ced the you’re discovering allthesehitherto-unknown coolthings in something that “used to be trendy.” Think of the way of you know itexists,yet there’s akindofstinktoit,as native andsignature grapevariety, Grüner Veltliner. Most base-line ofcompetenceismarkedly highinAustria. least decentwine,you’ll beexposedinahurry. Thus the thus everyone’s assisupforgrabs,soifyou don’t makeat against oneanothertobethefirstwithearliest reviews, bywho are anactivistwinepress served whocompete Germany. It alsohasafeverishly thirstydomesticclientele, production ofanynationintheEU. certified-organic and grapes. Austria has the largest percentage of land in oforganicproduction,a largeproportion bothincrops Austria’s iscontinental. precipitation. Germany’s climate isstill“maritime,” but shadow oftheAlps, thegrowers with insufficient struggle Rheingau tothe Wachau. 7-8 hours(ifyou’re luckywithtraffic)todrive from the climate. It’s more easterlyandmore southerly. It takesyou o theextentsweet winesexist,theyare almost dessert-wines. always true never find ashrillorbitingone. though you’ll finddullormediocre wines, you’ll almost find inhere, and Austria. Rieslingis destined tobedry large numberofyowling nasty wines. These you willnot wines toquitedecentsimplerastill-distressingly- all over quality-wise,from brilliantterroir- thespectrum Butvirtues. it’s German Rieslingis fairtosaythatdry have apreference; Ilikethemboth,eachforitsnative who find Austrian Rieslingtooflamboyant. Imyselfdon’t Germans, and tasters whoprefer thecoolerfeelofdry juice, and they seem more generous. That said,there are the yet more tensileandminerally. Compared directly with sweet than(many)Alsatianwineshave gotten,lessearthy, They are lessfatthanAlsatianwineshave become,less greatest whitewines. They are nearlyalwaysbonedry. Riesling produces asubstantialmajorityofAustria’s good German Trockens, theyhave more bodyand H As mostA A T A A Though it Let ustria’s greatest contributiontothewineworldisits than ustria isofcourseasmallerwinecountry from Germanyustria isquiteapart inmeso- owever, of climate in Austria thedryness allows for ’s takeRiesling, andcompare applestoapples. ustrian vineyards lieinthewindandrain ’s only4% of thevineyard plantings, 1

Introduction The dry. Too good for the good for the Too all the way the wines all go

interfere with the wine, so interfere few slovenly grams of sugar grams of fewslovenly

a

ion of Dryness t ustria is properly a dry a ustria is properly (white) wine THe ques but this is an early stage of maturing into ove of a wine culture with an aversion to with an aversion of a wine culture ove , Bucko.” So go ahead and tag me. But if you if you go ahead and tag me. But So , Bucko.”

which knows when to be rigid and when to when to be rigid and when which knows squeamish. I understand, since I’m squeamish squeamish. I understand, since I’m

we’re at different spots on the squeam-o-meter. spots on the squeam-o-meter. at different we’re a slippery it keep sliding down slope, and if you

at the table). And they could do it if they wanted

undetectable as sweetness, but discernable as undetectable as sweetness, fruit, more thrilling flavor (and incidentally more (and incidentally more flavor thrilling fruit, more

aybe I’m wrong and it isn’t contempt, but rather and it isn’t wrong aybe I’m there’s zero reason to assume this would happen. reason zero there’s

But we’re ahead of ourselves. Suffice it to say I Suffice ahead of ourselves. we’re But o be entirely honest, I sometimes wonder whether I sometimes honest, o be entirely

though I know of no one actually using it. They of no one actually using it. though I know

amount of residual a small amount of residual that was diminished by n some cases they go too far. Dry means go too far. n some cases they never tasted and cannot imagine an Austrian white tasted and cannot imagine an Austrian never

Though A I I appr T “ that can sound elitist. A thing like M

open the door to all kinds of manipulations. If! The open the door to all kinds of manipulations. If! ) has been legal for years ) has been legal for years Süssreserve (a.k.a. Dosage

as these wines and cost as much or more. cost as much or more. not as good as these wines and

are very dry. Other times Other very are dry. sugar, deeper to; now, veryare too, but it’s Sure fact is to when it comes scaredy-cats sometimes they’re culture, helpful few grams of RS by the untasteable but incredibly and delightful more which many wines would be (even) delicious, and sometimes profound. fermentations when vintages in as it happens. It’s remain. confecting, a culture relax. have wine flexible you operating principle is don’t fear. I find it odd that people who are serenely competent serenely are I find it odd that people who fear. mind when they in all other walks of wine, who don’t languages, are or Spanish Italian French, the mangle to stammering helplessness as soon as suddenly reduced that makes a What is it about German an umlaut appears. person feel so abruptlyCertainly incapable? the language languages, but that the romance as euphonious as isn’t embracing “Txakolina,” from stop the somm-glom didn’t you Blanc” “Sauvignon say can you if me, help God and Piri.” can say “Senftenberger I the larger audience actually too good for are these wines should have. think they all those cool new cool all those I want I mean, month. in the wines perspective. I also like But discovery. world, I like likes of you hundreds myself to observe are that there allow do, I’ll that wine lists restaurant and shelves of wines on retail are that it’s mind my asking? I submit don’t if you Why, contempt toward an unacknowledged because there’s on the label, an underlying words anything with German than trivial be more wines can never assumption that such worthDollars. anything north of fifty and certainly aren’t just a sad and not an elitist; I’m right, then I’m I’m If puzzled idealist. oblem is, what should have happened was to happened what should have oblem is, ’s the salient material. Ancillary but still ’s ustria should be a major source for you. Too often Too for you. ustria should be a major source ustria is also a markedly good producer of red of red good producer ustria is also a markedly ut I don’t think you can. No one can. can. No think you ut I don’t ou’re not gonna like what I’m about to say, but in the about to say, not gonna like what I’m ou’re o I’m asking you to look again. Taste seriously and Taste to look again. asking you o I’m A That B A S Y The pr 2

it’s just a niche or an afterthought. This is a wine culture This is a wine culture just a niche or an afterthought. it’s unique in the world, building on the gravitas of centuries scratch itself from but grabbing the chance to reinvent and rooted yet fresh and youthful It’s 80s. late the in miraculous balancing act between manages a It deep. making fiercely being cosmopolitan and sophisticated yet Looking for saturated with identity. individual wine that’s support the good guys. Please, These are the good guys? doing all little culture Theirs is still a wee them generously. relegated we’ve want, but somehow say we the things we this is jour du wine the whatever as not-as-cool to them

important; Austria makes important Pinot Blanc, makes Blanc, makes important Pinot important; Austria the is Blanc, verySauvignon expensive too often but good which is Muskateller, largest supplier of Gelber world’s good, and makes often- stupid miracle when it’s a great commonly seen international sorts,decent wines from need them. don’t We few of which I offer here. describe in a few I’ll varieties native three wines, from they are neither but simple, not are wines These pages. wonderful They are complex. grandiose and routinely They are fruit-driven food-friendly wines. medium-weight supposed wine’s what get They individual. and distinctive not afraid to They’re to do at the table and in our lives. basic someone who likes Foradori’s you’re be delicious. If mind is ready your than the Granato, more Teroldego Love (And speaking of which: Lagrein? red. for Austrian is better.) Blaufränkisch Lagrein!

see what your Dollars (or your boss’s) are actually buying, are boss’s) (or your Dollars see what your can please, do make the best case you and then really, the money than GV will give. better wine for that there’s will it right, you’re If me. help will it it; hear to want I is a will tell you humble my sad smug ass, which anyone good thing.

thing that’s one single service of truth to say it. Not I have trumped, promulgated, lionized, since been discovered, not delight, giddy with about talked and lists wine on put as THING. has been nearly as excellent ONE. DAMN. just my face, and I’ll any of them in Put Veltliner. Grüner GV. as good as not them, Love Jura? you; keep annoying as GV. good not as interesting, and cool Very Timorosso? ignoring are me; you push upon what you matter Doesn’t to clamber fruit in order and lower-hanging much sweeter and pluck inferior material. to the top of the tree (too often) what did classic, whereas GV as a recognize into the rubbish swept happen was it got pile of the fashionable. previously from all over the place, and how much fun it is. That was That is. fun it much and how the place, over all from And early “aughts.” in the late 90s and Veltliner Grüner want to did; you what those guys repeat want to don’t you it, and sympathize. do new things. Got

Introduction 3

Introduction of

yet yet and soft-

there’s there’s be,

owers, I owers, “We want “We ’s nothing nothing ’s there’s even even there’s

it *

value. It’s just a just It’s value. ways.

and whether their best thing for that

excuse for failing to excuse age

t In other words, sugar’s O.K. sugar’s words, other In eason that if there are degrees are if there eason that that sugar is evil, sugar is pablum, that sugar is evil, sugar

wines are disguised; therefore sugar is disguised; therefore wines are little bits of sweetness. Or? The next- Or? little bits of sweetness. e 2012 Vin

be, in which case principle unless it can’t

you can’t help it. Well, sigh. This is the sigh. Well, it. help can’t you even more prevalent principle that wines prevalent more even h

seductive to wine writers but somewhere but somewhere to wine writers seductive O.K., the world can probably do without O.K., the world can probably

ower at whom I tasted was Hofer, and he’s and he’s Hofer, was tasted I whom at ower manipulated. T

that Rieslings to agree willing were Some gr are matters of taste, or they ought to ought or they of taste, matters are o one's own taste one should always be faithful. o one's own wonderful. I think a couple questions are at wonderful. are I think a couple questions

* is in order. is in order.

better that way. I’m suspicious of uniform suspicious I’m better that way. T

Grüner Veltliner. That should always be dry; Veltliner. Grüner

non-interventionist, being organic and all. And uly hate sweetness then you shouldn’t consume it. consume shouldn’t you then sweetness hate uly

his GrüVes had a few grams of RS—and tasted his GrüVes need to trustneed palates. and their themselves, indeed benefit from a mini-dollop of sweetness, a mini-dollop of sweetness, indeed benefit from

tr

f all you taste are the excellent-to-superb estates, as the excellent-to-superb taste are f all you n fact for those growers I think 2012 is a notch better n fact for those growers Each time I raised these issues with gr Each time I raised these issues with I O I After all, it stands to r After all, it These them trying of to hide their dismay behind a veil the rest of us—the 99.8% rest of us—perhaps a little of us—the 99.8% rest the rest

politeness. could opinions, but carrying GrüVes to-last GV a really absolutely play here. you If For often I suspect there are several too many shoulds several are often I suspect there people too many are There the fact. gottas going on before who cling to the Idea bad sugar is how on to be avoided the invoke you be shouldn’t when but only kind of thing oblique to the truth. saw but not it tastes one of flexibility

creamy dry and there’s accommodating dry accommodating and drycreamy and there’s dry austere fierce and very crisp dry and there’s our wines to be dry” is too often an individual wines taste, consider how particular dryness or the is agreeable, past. came so late, after the danger was supposed to have much did was “How The first question I asked anyone that frost May dreadful the is headline the course f lining is the concentration of fruitThe silver in lose.” you that survived.the small crop tempted to conclude 2012 is a bloody mostly I do, you’re marvelous vintage, with fruit-driven yummy wines that could and nuance anyone jazz all the terroir also show be right—but only for that echelon of You’d crave. ever growers. even yet concentration, more acidity, more has it ‘11; than It somehow. cream with these attributes it also has more is richer. It tastes richer. People and dry, this-could-use-some-damn-sugar a thousand of one to be, wine a for way very wine. sweetness there are also degrees of dryness. There is There of dryness. degrees also are there sweetness drynessbut obtuse to assume as such is a 4

Introduction with bothofthem…) somehow; it’s abetterkisserthan‘11is.(AndImadeout its weight elegantly dispersed. It’s just more sensual textured vintage, 2012isarich,creamy vintageyet with an especiallypersuasive form.If 2011wasasilkygranular- number amongthebestAustrian winesIhave tasted,in could accountforit. Blanc, orhadbeendive-bombed by ladybugs.No one notes, asthoughthey’d beenblendedwithSauvignon you planto drinktheminthefirst year. doesn’t matter whattheytastelikeinthefirst year unless clunky, oafishandcrude. of14%,it With winesnorth baby-fat havingmeltedaway, thewineswere toooften monument ofpower andvinosity. Yet 2-3years later, the seemed tohave absorbedthatripenessintoabigregal better ones,justsoyou cansussthemyourself. toplummet.Still,happy start I’ll show youofthe afew somewhere, andthat’s thepointwhere myoddsofbeing line inthesandisarbitrary. Yet alineneedsto bedrawn nailed it.I’d honestlyrathernotfuss,andIknow my14% 13.9 and14.1alc.,soIaskednottobetold.And,sadly, to assumeI(oranyone) coulddiscernbetween winesof that putmeoff. At oneestatewe agreed itwasabsurd telltale whiff of either medicine or jalapeño-heat, things if I was being silly. But when I concentrated, I felt it, the curious appearanceofgraceonthepalate,andIwondered none oftheabove? material, inearlierpicking,lessselective picking,orall/ reside incanopywork, inlargeryields,different vine but nooneknows what todoaboutit.Do thesolutions talk aboutthis. The growers agree there isa“situation,” be afactor, especiallyinGrüner Veltliner. Oh boy, didwe land andthe“good” landislargerthanusual. crucially. The difference between thewinesfrom thebest rare, andso2012becomesayear where locationmatters because theyexisted.In the Weinviertel irrigationis very wines were drenched withterroir andtheworldwasbetter to thisongrounds of“purity” butIhadtoconcedethe grow there withoutit.At onetimeIsoughttoobject irrigation hasbeencommonforyears. Rieslingwouldn’t skins, whichalsocreates bitterness. sometimes bitter. In somecasesthere wassunburnonthe the policehadbeensummoned)andfinishedclipped the palatelikeaparty, (asif butwhichstoppedabruptly wo thingswere decisive. One wasdrought, asitwasa irrigate oftenshowed winesthatsmelledgreat andentered seasonandahotlate-summer,dry andthosewhocouldn’t way tootannic formytenderpalate,and whichwere over many ofthehighly-touted2011s,whichoftentasted that were ready totaste. This corresponds tomydismay The r B Ther I’ O I I T t isalsoavintagewhere, yet again,highalcoholcan n theterracesof Wachau/Kamptal/Kremstal drip m alsoremembering 2006,ahigh-alcoholyear that ut there were alsoalargenumberofwines that ften in2012these14%andhigherwinesgave a e were somelightwinesin‘12thatshowed grassy eds were atleastthe“lesser” wonderful, cuvées (E W ALZINGER O discussed. repeat those wines below, whenindividual accolades are reach lofty pinnacles of beauty and meaning. So I won’t easy. The gratefulness andawe? He makesitlookeasy, butitisn’t his number, asitwere—but whatelsecanyou feelbut this masterlyestateyet again—andmaybeIshouldretire also citizens ofarare country. It canseemtedioustocite Grüner Veltliners I’ve ever seen,andtheRieslingsare H TH paradigmatic At theLOW-END ashouttoERICHBERGER andhis and notfrom oneofthosestrangebig Zaltos. FURMINT, withtheproviso todrinkitfrom atulipglass haunting,almost achingly beautiful SCHROCK’S In theMID-RANGE,aremarkable wine;HEIDI Riesling Hochäcker. At the TOP END—HIEDLER Riesling Gaisberg, NIGL above…) more Veltliner.lot glad, because2011clearlyfavored Riesling,buty’all buya who hadastunningRieslingvintage(Hiedler). AndI’m a stunningGVvintage(Gobelsburg) there wasanother and GV sometimes was. Still, for each guy who clearly had thatRieslingwasalmostneveryou overripe, canobserve remarkable wineexperiencethisyear. Muscat ofamere 23years ofage.IdoubtI’ll have amore shipped backintheday, andacalmlyfresh andgorgeous cool atall. The wine was Polz’s 1990,awineI’d actually old, andIthoughtmyguesswasreally cool.It wasn’t wasn’tknew recent, butguessedwasbetween 6-9years ago Iwaspoured astunninglygoodMuskateller thatI young,” becausetwonights wine thatneedstobedrunk one doesn’t wishtoconsignthisvariety tosome“fragile January, shipinApril, drinkbefore LaborDay. Though next year we’ll sellthemthewaywe sellRosé; tastein good in‘12,fairlyrestrained asthisbeastgoes.Maybe trendy anditlookslikeImightwaitforever, butthey’re I’m goingtolikethemmuchmore. ripe butmore thanthemega-berried‘11s.Icantell fruity siblings are sometimes just ill-contained. The ‘12 reds are buttheirbiggermoregushing berriedfruit, “important” mono-maniacally minty. The “little” winesare loadedwith TH INES ands-down, E xcluding anyoftheGobelsburgs, forreasons noted W ER S Y INERY peaking of which, I’m Muscat waiting for dry to be ou can’t sayit’s betterforGVorRiesling,though

OF SU TH P ER GV Lamm,andthe(2011)RieslingTradition

H OF E B C IG V GRUNER VELTLINERLOESSTERASSEN. TH IN Gobelsburg. It’s thebestcollectionof HL O T E LL AGE IG V E IN HT CT T IONS S AGE

AN

OF D SU 2012s P ER L A T I V ES 5

Introduction ). Call it +++). ++, s l qua E mong A

t irs F big ones; it has to do with quality of flavor as flavor of quality with do to has it ones; big ere they are, and why: they are, ere or stunned by a wine, and it can happen with “small” a wine, and it can happen with “small” stunned by

H O of one, two and three pluses (+, one, two and three of subjective short-list. It has to do with a quality of short-list.subjective It

being wines my see a fewthese of Schwarzböck GV 4 Gärten: you’ll growers unheralded cheerful relatively from light GVs, it galls me when they so freaky-charming whose wines are ether. the indifferent just drift away into as GV ever this is about as adorable GV Stockstall; Ecker certaingets, and I am categorically will that this money white wine. pleasurable a more not buy you for “white,” red substitute Brillant: 2011 Zweigelt Ecker text as the last one! the same and it’s one of the sleepers in the book, It’s 2011 Zweigelt: Setzer Superieur good Bordeaux sorta mid-weight of really being without tastiness and charm poise, has that palate Think of a slightly fruitier of the version “simple.” Gobelsburger. named after the soil in the Berger GV “White Stone,” am bound and in: I it grows (Zehetnerin) vineyard can do beyond Berger what Erich determined to show a puppy (plus he the Liters, and this is as magnetic as in here, exactly also it’s and paper-trained), it’s me tells its this entry-to-estate-bottled shows GV that the variety charm. greatest is perfectthis because inexpensive Berger Riesling Spiegel: get nearly enough luv. dry that doesn’t Riesling plus certified Rieden: All of the above, den Von GV Hofer organic. all done Schüttenberg: we’ve Blanc Sauvignon Glatzer play so I thought we’d basic Sauv-B, with Glatzer’s well one, which I found with the superior single-vineyard dramatically delicious and successful in 2012. single entry- one Krutzler if there’s 2012 Blaufränkisch: expressive is entirely BF that has polish and class yet level angularity of this amazing grape, of the splendid weedy yet fairly, priced wines are of Krutzler’s this one. Most it’s wine could be red assume no Austrian too many of you show me two minutes and I’ll worth such prices. Give they are. you me to be. I get riled when way-cool wines are ignored, as ignored, wines are way-cool riled when be. I get me to a committing so you’re and gladly tell you, my wife will social service these babies. buying by use by nce againIwillhighlightspecialfavorites t INES is l - T W t IS or L h NIKOLAIHOFhas ORE D-C iners NIKOLAIHOF’S 2008 on your s AR t ltl u p C H I o T ION ION t CT CT AN AGE

E E ies T

t rüner Ve LL i LL IN G O

O ANY V t dd AGE C C E T Z E E o es a few hundred wines we offer you on offer you wines we es a few hundred S IN d those several hundred, there are wines I wines are there hundred, several those ’ TH TH TH V E OF OF OF )

S TH is quite a bit fresher HEIDI SCHROCK’S is quite a bit fresher Muscat auvignon Blanc YEAR

T( INE INE more grea OF A rises an IS Among That leav I C w p É W cluding repeated offerings from last year) offerings from cluding repeated D W TH E ur fe t’s a good but surprising vintage for Gelber Muskateller. Muskateller. vintage for Gelber a good but surprising t’s 6

many of prefer), if you (or Direct-Import, pre-arrival orgiastic get to taste at our various which many of you Theise bucket at the “I filled an entire presentations. tasting…” and which I do not want to let myself especially love, of buy a group we each year disappear into the glom. So get a 1-off and you every group year, different them, a know jocund fella you This keeps me the shot at them. stock. keep in year-round what we These are List.” “Core aso-called have theconcept,we know don’t f you as this portfolio as close gets to “commercial” ever It’s to be consistent and reliable; wine, and the selections have List. I don’t with the Core “off-vintages” have can’t we not a lot. wines it contains, but it’s many how know HOFER Zweigelt Rosé HOFER Zweigelt S NIGL S which is “Biscaya,” question; HEIDI SCHROCK’S No as one of the world’s quickly establishing a reputation most singular and compelling Rosés. RE (ex Leithaberg 2010 PRIELER Blaufränkisch Reserve 2011 Zweigelt SATTLER ROS I by which aromas the elderflower of the wines show Most vanish seems to yet this as fully ripe, one identifies them think I point this At palate. the on MUS as the this genre, established an abiding superiority in oysterysecond an a adds that minerality have wines successful. dimension. And ECKER, again, is markedly Finally, every her 2011 was, yet than bit as and less baroque original. A Clearly and dramatically and dramatically Clearly TH which is, as simply which is, RESERVE, KLAUSBERG RIESLING wine can be. said, as gorgeous as as can be attention to pay special no particular order, In new and NIGL’s Stein, OTT’s Spiegel, BRUNDLMAYER’S Zwetl. the Rehberger vineyard,

Introduction flattened this level, rarely anything are indispensable. as-good-as-it-gets now, nohomeshouldbewithoutit. attentiontothiswine. particular Try nottomissit. much as feel slightedifhedoesn’t getenough to believe Idomybesttoignore them.A there canbepoliticalramificationsatplay, messages I’ve cannilyembedded within it. to answer theimpliedquestionWhat can’t wineinthisoffering, buyevery But there’s alsoapragmaticconsideration based onscores, even insuchaprimitive agree there’s a danger whenever one establishes highlighting isinvidious,sinceitdamnsthewines care. Nothing matters butthe The pressure’s on—andatthe wonder whathappenedifhe got luvved meforalltheplussesIgave the prose for mymanyjokesandpuns, no matter what? Andof course you’ll still plusses asalso-rans.Obviously that’s notthe

the winesthatgowhere you simplycannotimagine Ther Thr T O

wo plusesisliketwoMichelin stars,gettingclose ne plusmeanssomethinglikeoneMichelin star. more thanawineortwoperyear thatreach

ee plusesalmostnever appear, becausethese

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better. Likethree Michelin stars. There are ‘cause your intrepid tasterhastobe virtually

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to of e tendedtouse thistermastheAustrians primary do, to Wait alittle tasting old. start the riper flavors. ou can drink GrüVe young if you either very enjoy takes ontheflav want to completely things old later he has The me more somewhat it to mature along theway. So: young isalwaysgood.If you want

A

I hav Riesling, Y E bones—30-40 years forthebestwines—butall Even thenit’s justapatina.Around 20-25itstarts

showing true tertiary flavors tillit’sshowing tertiary true about12 years sheds. Great Austrian make Rieslingwillcertainly

N fifteen oreven twenty years quiteeasily. If you ven more improbable; Pinot Blanc canmake

its primary fruit, orvery fruit, its primary

o

being equalGrüVe point tastes younger atevery r like grown-up mature wine—butstillnot old. GrüVe seemstoageinasteadyclimb. Naturally

efer to a family of metamorphic soils based on overtones waitabout ten years. If you wanta t

rock. While it’s ausefulword, you should bear wait, you’ll endupwithsomethingrecalling a

it isthelongergoes,butingeneraldoesn’t e on than a few strikingoldmasterpieces,butthen, than afew

rustic whiteBurgundy.rustic Mr. Hiedler hasshown

T mature wine,wait abouttwenty.

longer. ouch withthisvariety. W amazingly, ages faster. In vintages certain M h y en U se of t or-known-as “petrol,” whichit o Drink th e Wor th oldifyou likemature e Wines d " U rges t ein"

it 7

Introduction s c owers is to go as is to go as owers rgani O . Some of them just do do just them of . Some chemical. I doubt many people chemical. I doubt many people

choose between all or nothing, all or nothing, choose between

ions of but their ferocity is at least well is at least well but their ferocity t

the world is more improved if most if most improved the world is more those steps than if only a few are, those steps than if only a few are, various organizations certifying and organizations certifyingvarious and called “Integrated” growing, wherein wherein growing, called “Integrated”

ues green-wash for something not much for something not much green-wash

sustainability

just lazy or risk-averse and “integrated” and “integrated” just lazy or risk-averse answer only to their own conscience. conscience. only to their own answer I’ve discussed these issues) is mindful mindful discussed these issues) is I’ve Q are two ways to look at this. One says says two ways to look at this. One are

the right direction is to be encouraged, is to be encouraged, the right direction

spraying compounds are detailed and detailed and spraying compounds are e opinion have ever had to support a family had to support ever a family opinion have

fungicides. Nearly every grower I know I know every grower fungicides. Nearly h other opinion—the one I myself hold—is other opinion—the one I myself hold—is

T

reserve the the but many of them either use or reserve

them use chemical fertilizers, or pesticides or them use chemical fertilizers, or pesticides or

ot to mention, have you or has anyone ever ever or has anyone you ot to mention, have I hope will be useful positions.

T N F The consensus among serious gr as prudence will allow toward organic growing. growing. organic toward as prudence will allow about living up to my precious standards. What I’ll What I’ll standards. about living up to my precious instead is say what I see on the ground, and suggest instead is say what I see on the ground,

would be fatuous of me to preach to people who would be fatuous of me to preach

don’t grow grapes or make wine for a living, and thus grapes or make wine for a living, and grow don’t

made a buying decision because a wine smelled like made a buying decision like huckleberries? “I just have brambleberries or rather on my like huckleberries that smell wines more to have these notes I doubt it. If Dude, list (or in my store)!” most the paint to it’s anything, do to “try” consciously sometimes and wine, the of picture visceral possible definite and other that assumes the form of something don’t The meta-message is, we times something ethereal. mastering its everyneed to defeat the poor wine by need to join with it as it invites. We nuance. conceivable in are you may differ depending on where process Your but true wine life, but the is not to master, your prize to surrender. lines. Here speculative more in my book along the subject they serve what to tell you purpose, which is an ostensible into Idelved strangeinanycase. are asting notes (or if) decide what help you tasted like so as to the wines me. I try from keep getting away they to be But to buy. nature, my against it’s but concrete, and specific carefully as if a wine is grabbing my hand and I sometimes feel that at If go. should I knows it somewhere me lead to furiously trying out which to figure enticing point I’m I’ll and dismay in away walks it like, smells it iris of color taken me. it might have where know never right to use (or with whom their thing and what’s controlling the allowable There enforced. are these growers is just a growing better than conventional/ who hold that as winery proprietors, very likely and it’s taking people are to because when forced they choose nothing. I thisissue,because politicize notgoingto it I’m irst, do, do what far of Few herbicides, need for the of belong to Others The meant. that any step in es t

ing no rase t h Heiligenstain are are Heiligenstain

as t ss e P

they’re quite different different quite they’re t

th ou denote a wine with not denote a wine with b se of U y ions a the consequence of physiological of consequence the t M us know by now there are two things are there now by us know fact Secret Sweetne

e on both seeds and skins are sweet. Austrian Austrian sweet. are skins and seeds both t e more mica, silica, others are schistuous schistuous others are silica, mica, more e e are important among it: distinctions e are residual sugar; in fact it doesn’t refer to refer sugar; in fact it doesn’t residual e “serious” ones include the Lompoc from ones include the Lompoc from e “serious” o peppercorns are primarily the wild are eet peppercorns ague no

sweetness that suggests sweetness ripe-tasting flavor “ripeness”: one is the actual measure of sugar one is the actual measure “ripeness”: N v granite), still others contain more gneiss. more still others contain granite), hav

sw

A Ther

such at all. It attempts to describe a deeply attempts to describe such at all. It to let itself be inferred. This I just love. to let itself be inferred. U when it’s a sweetness that seems to hide from you, you, seems to hide from that a sweetness it’s high malic acids) are present; the other is a fuller other is a the present; are high malic acids) sweet echo even when they contain little or no echo even sweet

it’s gone. Look away and there it is again. It only it is again. It gone. Look away and there it’s er you’re sure it is there. But if you look straight at look if you But it is there. sure you’re

from physiologically ripe fruit physiologically a from often convey

grape (or must), which can be ostensibly “ripe” “ripe” grape (or must), which can be ostensibly

sugar. I like my little phrase “secret” sweetness, sweetness, I like my little phrase “secret” sugar.

when other markers of underripeness (e.g. bitter of when other markers The mor The I’ This emphatically does This emphatically

Oth poof, Indonesia, and the all-time great Sarawak, which is smoky Sarawak, and the all-time great Indonesia, company French others; a numerous are There and truffly. sells a slew of them in little graduated-cylinders, and a visiting merchant, wine a like just is named Akesson man and vintage- and selling terroir-specific the producers www. interested: if you’re Look here dated peppercorns. akessons-organic.com. Madagascar, which is markedly fruity which is markedly and complex, and Madagascar, like amazingly smells that Timut one called Nepalese this tangerines. whites 8

consents say no. probably and offer a sample of an apple, and I’ll market it. I afarmer’s meat Approach all over m ageekforflavor. apples and I’m different me samples of five Offer the lately discovered a theme. And so I’ve on variations love and now out there, peppercorns of black fascinating variety a pair of geeks, my our kitchen is full of them. And we’re pepper a working creating former chef-wife and I, so we’re lab to try this and suss what goes best with what. I tell you in a few of my words going to see some weird because you’re use—and while theynotes – other than those I regularly tasted these things, they’re never if you’ve help you don’t accurate and thus I need to explain them. kind of it, ripeness actual because though both called seeds or even but which is in is which but of ripeness. Most in the sugar as embedded camouflaged Hirsch’s twin-peaks of Gaisberg and Gaisberg twin-peaks of Hirsch’s in mind in of soils. soils some (fractured group general a but soil single a isn’t rgestein both classed as Urgestein sites, yet sites, as Urgestein both classed in flavor.

Introduction length and density. Neither I nor my growers are best, wineswithpoise,grace andelegancebutalso is beyond dispute. What Iam and Ihave somethingtotalkabout. so muchastoscream foryour exclusive attention,thenyou concentration andintensity theyneedtodothejob,butnot elegant mid-weight food-luvvinwinesthathave allthe whelm over-ed. If you’re willingto“settle” forbeautiful, need your socksknockedoff, your blocksbusted,oryour greatest drinking pleasure available perDollar—unless you redsthese new fromculture thisold/new are providing the portfolio. For Iamgrowing more secure by theday, that together—blind ifyou wish—withAustrian reds from this wines inarangeofprice-points,andwe’ll tastethem invited tobringalongwhatyou feelare thebestavailable to do an interactive tasting with you guys, wherein you’re I amsoconvincedby thewinesthatI’m exploringaway we yieldtonooneinourAustrian red wineoffering.In fact Blaufränkisch in particular. I mean to make a Statement: more andmore strongly inthered winesingeneral,and afterthoughts. redswhite-wine oriented,andthefew available were often athome.Still, wasoverwhelmingly thisportfolio the native varieties, andalsotodrinkthewinesmore Prieler andthenSattler were tostudy added, andIstarted more frequently, andIfoundthemever-harder toresist. was through Italy, whereas minewasthrough Germany. ground, anditmadesense;hisapproach toAustrian wine seemed thatmythen-majorcompetitorwasclaiming n myearlydaysIdidn’t golookingforred wines.In one case (Glatzer) they found me and I was glad. But it them, but reasonable of purity Most in one in ways organic whom rights tothe andthe paperwork talk whatever he claim of“organic” If you won’t certify, one’s alonewolf uly organicorbiodynamicestatescan issues around biodynamic of them choose A That hadtochange.B B I M The tr

important, I don’timportant, subject mygrowers to anysort ut over timeIencountered thesewinningred wines ustrian red wineistobetakenseriously,

thing y positionistoencouragethegrowers with

I work totakewhatever stepstheycaninan whether to certify by variouswhether tocertify means,andmost you cantastediscretely, thoughconscientiousness direction. Idon’t thinkitimproves theirwines

test withonlypass/failasoptions. There are

this oneworks forme. do approaches otherthanmine, and Irespect

power oftheorganic“brand.” often implies conscientiousness in all things. . I have and two one certified-organic estates

cer AUS

pleases, buttheoneswhoendure the tification canbe thorny, especially if by nature. But what’s thealternative? or “biodynamic?”Afterall,anyone can

politics ought to bethe only ones with

T in this assortment. in this assortment. The political do you really have arighttothe RIAN ecause I found myself believing ecause Ifoundmyselfbelieving

RE

selecting are justwhatIlike D W INES

that much

with into elsewhere. unusual, varietal bottlings (which hecalled offering. Erich didawaywithhis“super-Tuscan” wine of this growing enlightenment set about to nurture it. Good what makestheirwinesunique many Austrian vintners,who singularly prevalent idiomis about them,somethingwithering grapes inahotenoughclimate,and power.brute Anyone canmakesuch Austria for reds with attributes ofgrace it isgratifyingtonoteagrowing appreciation the world;notgreatest, thegreat. butcertainly And the flavor-needle lurch intothe red. producers—what Icalltheirsuper-Tuscans— shock-and-awe wines;we allknow how facileitisto varieties, of discernable and someone hasZinfandel planted them here andthere: Pinot Noir, the growers plantedtheusualsuspects,and whether itwantedtobeBordeaux, Burgundy I’d liketosee those inkydullcr weedyness ofBlaufränkisch. some Zweigelts thatofferthedustytannin andbeautiful more andmore “Burgundian” withoxygen. There are also seems todefaultbackitsSt. Laurent parentage, growing should drinkitwithoutaeration. In acarafethough, it you andhuckleberry like itshightonesofblack cherry Zweigelt. It alsodoes interesting things intheglass.If you leave the animal-herbal aspects Syrah, sothatyou hadthedeeply if you could somehow skimthe top is sweet cherry, butthere’s more tothe Laurent withBlaufränkisch andits most oh-so-drinkable. and right off a pleasure deeper thanjoy. Details are comin’ rightup. but theonewithmostabidingfascinationandoffering master classinAustro-reds, thelasttastetobeacquired love itifyou love thefunky sideofPinot. as easytoadore asZweigelt. It’s suave andearthy, andyou “zonked cow rent”), whichisharder togrow butalmost comes it. Then Zweigelt tasty. seems effortlessly Only achurlcoulddislike know funny? people just seem effortlessly the way certain anditalwayssmellsseductive. tastes marvelous You

A A fe The ZWEIGEL And thenther down myhappythroat, because atitsbestthisis bout twenty years ago, whenAustria wasstill

w Austrian reds can standwith the great wines the tongue,eh? Well itrolls rightoffmytongue and eachofferingsomethingwe cannotfind easy one is Zweigelt, because it almost always

which there are three typestointerest us,each

others follow suit.

T: The lastword inred wine!Rolls

laudable return totheseveral indigenous St. Laurent (pronounced torhymewith

Cronos) forsingle- andisusingthatfruit eatures. Even the biggestwines of stellar-classZweigelt andSt. Laurent. It alwayssmellsgreat! It’s e’s Blaufränkisch , whichIfeelisthe

becoming lessattractive to

appears among

and desirable,who’ve for seem tohave discovered somewhere. But there’s a

behind.

Cabernet, Merlot, plus

notes offofreally ripe them! One symptom juicy fruit andcould juicy fruit and obtuse. Yet this

best wines.Imagine they allhave apall wines ifyou grow

instead of mere overt note fruit That might be

you’ll stillfind

a cross of St.

or Tuscany, the Sattler

never let

from my deciding

within

make

of 9

Introduction nd speaking of terroir and style, when nd speaking of terroir ’m not sure of another cépage that enjoys that enjoys another cépage of sure not ’m Is there a sense in which it is particularly there Is red of attractive variety all the Given A I the position of Blaufränkisch as regards our as regards the position of Blaufränkisch solo potential. Serious experience of its aging only began in earnest two flights with this grape don’t you a) that clear already It’s but ago, decades taste 10- full potential until you its appreciate any of the b) scarcely old examples and 15 year efforts the most earnest, by original, and earliest faded in the bottle, yet have risk-taking growers top that today’s to believe good reason have so we and as wines will age beautifully for many years to speculate what will be virtuallyyet no reason me just wrote Prieler their allotted span. Silvia article that she places my recent after reading utmost importance ability to on Blaufränkisch's as on as well many years new charms over reveal (TT: many. how know don't yet the fact that we my emphasis) TT: Veltliner said “If Grüner I have Austrian? that Is it would be Blaufränkisch.” red, were statement supportable? is such a sense insofar as Blaufränkisch There DS: menagerie in Austria's is arguably the other grape highly site-sensitive; that is capable of greatness; anyway) rare stylistically malleable; and (as yet I suppose one outside Austria. and unproven up notions of national might be able to conjure and claim that character and varietal character but other, the to fitting especially somehow is one endless, are game that on variations the suspect I any evidence but which is to say unchecked by cleverness. And of the player’s the limits only by Herr that field, on not to challenge you I know Theise! TT: case salient the is what world, the in wines in a merchant’s for including Blaufränkisch importer) wholesaler, retailer, (sommelier, offering? has a every I know Virtually merchant DS: and terroir − being “a bit like a Northern Rhône; bit like a Northern “a − being and terroir a bit like Nebbiolo; a Piedmontese a bit like a genuinely a bit like Pinots; certain Burgundian yourself find When you cru ” Beaujolais... great and distinctively diverse for such reaching and still coming of comparison delicious points in the are you know argue, you up short, then, I’d [and] of something uniquely special... presence to keep. exalted company pretty that’s the one and to responsive as find a grape you that too is special. adaptable to the other, berries, and is

weather’s perfect. weather’s

more than twenty than twenty more to mutation and it to mutation

does, but with added does, but

More growers would would growers More touch, and it can do touch, and

up to the challenge; St. St. up to the challenge;

aren’t ideal. “You have to have ideal. “You aren’t trés hip grape, folks. It’s folks. It’s hip grape, trés

grape,” said one grower. And grower. said one grape,”

trendy grape, and I gotta tell ya, trendy . It’s of theof It’s . BLAUFRÄNKISCH

bricky and capsule-y, and when bricky and capsule-y, ou love good Burgundy but can’t can’t but Burgundy good love ou y

vegetal. In fact I think the quality- In vegetal. Most of Austria’s greatest red wines red greatest of Austria’s Most

mostly from Blaufränkisch, yet weak yet Blaufränkisch, mostly from Burgundy, this variety will satisfy you satisfy you will this variety Burgundy,

crummy St. Laurent.) I’d still put it in I’d Laurent.) crummy St.

less pleasing than weak Zweigelt. (I’ve (I’ve Zweigelt. less pleasing than weak

A AURENT: is anything but a bitch to grow. I remain remain I grow. to bitch a but anything is didn’t speak German, it would be mega- speak German, didn’t fair land. school (whereas the Zweigelt is Syrah-y and is Syrah-y the Zweigelt school (whereas

that if this grape and its wines came from from that if this grape and its wines came ent is for duck or squab, and Blaufränkisch is Blaufränkisch and squab, or duck for is ent Laurent is Pinot-y). Zweigelt is for spaghetti, Zweigelt is Pinot-y). Laurent

What claim does Blaufränkisch stake to What claim does Blaufränkisch them

Laur t first St-L was thought to be a genetic mutation St-L was thought to be t first inally there’s the there’s inally kind with the other parent being either an unknown being either an unknown kind with the other parent

TT: uniqueness? have grape this DS: Both I and those who grow in terms for novices describing the results trouble a typical and genres, familiar grapes of more − depending of course in part on style answer n fact there seems to be a kind of awakening withinn fact there t’s the fastest-growing red grape in Austria (from (from grape in Austria red the fastest-growing t’s

I F I A SANKT L SANKT to be false. Still, we really don’t know what this grape know don’t really we to be false. Still, grapes planted. Though there are 11 known clones, 11 known are Though there grapes planted.

Modern theories suggest it’s a Burgundy grape of a Burgundy theories suggest it’s Modern lamb chops. A perfect three-course meal! lamb chops. A perfect three-course Pinot Noir, but modern ampelography has proven modern ampelography has proven but Noir, Pinot

an extinct variety.

small base, of course), having nearly doubled in acreage in acreage small base, of course), having nearly doubled

10 for to is being discovered the Blaufränkisch whereby Austria, Schildknecht David variety. remarkable and fascinating a be and scholarly just published a magnificently comprehensive bringing us all up to speed on the piece in Wine&Spirits and growers general state of thinking among the grape’s a fewconsumers. I asked David questions, because I wished to consult an impartial observer I issued some grand before be able to support. statement I wouldn’t the Sankt Sankt it’s unripe it’s slightly unripe it’s it’s or made entirely are convinced is widest here. spread to taste a trulyyet the Malbec-y anyplace that is. or a a distant 5th among all since 1999, while remaining red of none in our trendy cabernet type, a little some of this thus subject to rot if conditions thus subject to rot this to grow a little crazy be stepping are all kinds of growers has become the Laurent If it. love absolutely I drink good to afford all kinds of ways. Pinot Noir-ish with a “sauvage” Noir-ish Pinot

nearly all the things fine Pinot Noir Pinot the things fine nearly all of sagey wildness. bottom notes prone the vine itself is plant it, but for ground left in the be can rarely unless the flower won’t It or so. years cluster of thin-skinned a tight produces It Blaufränkisch is Blaufränkisch

Introduction attractively grainy texture. and invigorating juicinesswithfaintly, primary of smokiness;andacombination ofrefreshing mineral there vocabulary; isgenerally anaura dimensions thatfindone reaching forfloral and in overreach. But there are nearly always description isprobably inherently anexercise conjunction issufficienttoestablishaunique to pulloutafewtraits andimplythattheir in bottlematuration andbecause amystery; and soilinfluencesare so varied; the “end point” toanswerDS: Istruggle thisbecausethestyles wines inshowing... TT: berries. DS: Dimensionsthatgowell and beyond fruits show you... TT: to-juice ratio by extracting more aggressively. compensate forvinematerialthatgives low skin- to ...or (perhaps inthatsameconnection)try Merlot ortheywere orCabernet inBordeaux totreat...or becausesomestilltry itasifwere of courseexcel alsoinmore exaltedvariations). dominate the$10-15retail realm (even asthey stayintank,letthemcontinueto fermentative be irresistibly post- deliciousafteronly ashort by contrast Zweigelt, Gamay, orGrenache can more interesting than“Pinot punch” andsince I’ve writtenbefore, “Blaufränkisch punch” isno all, time−incasktoreally reveal As itsvirtues. variety needssomebreathing space−and,above render aninexpensive “Blaufränkisch 101.” This DS: ...growers inorder totake shortcuts to try because... TT: in anyhurry. the senseofdiscoverywillwear offonwinelovers cast ofgrowers thatchampionit,Idon'tthink andoutspoken bottle; nottomentionthecolorful of“how willitend?”inthe at table;themystery human stylisticideals;it’s fascinatingflexibility diversity it reveals in response to terroir and sublimity (100-pointNirvana ;-);thedazzling is beingtransported by growers ever-closer to Given therapidity withwhichBlaufränkisch question thenis whether thenewness wears off. dominate themarket andwineliterature. The of cépagesorcépage-terroir combinationsthat “new” tosetalongside therather smallcanon of customerswhoare onthelookoutforsomething personally feltneedaswell asasignificantcadre Great Blaufränkisch is unique among Even decentaverage Blaufränkisch will WhenBlaufränkisch fails,it’s usually where anexcess ofpleasure becomesakindof sense. But you’re tastynumbers. missingoutonsome very wine Dollar onagrower who specializes inreds. Makes much, because(Ithink)you prefer tospendyour red- tasty beings. attractive andvery We don’t sellthemvery still pretty clunky. But more andmore ofthemare viable, of thosewineswere pretty ofthemare anemic,andafew customer wouldn’t have togoelsewhere forthem.Most they hadtomakeatokenred wineortwo,justsothe the wholeFrench Paradox thingbroke, lotsofgrowers felt to bewhite-wineonly. Maybe it’s climatechange.But after improvement ofthered winesfrom regions oncethought there’s thatconcernstheremarkable adeveloping story barriques.Second,the pancakemakeupof300%new Growers have more confidencetheirwines don’t need concomitant appreciation ofitsgreat value asaseasoning. retreat awayfrom oakasadominatingflavor, anda and complexity and atmosphere, youadd mystery so which shirt and means into Winter Of Blaufränkisch withoutmissingabeat. radical thoughtthatSummer Of Rieslingcouldeasilysegue but notdee-lish,ifyou the seewhatImean.even entertain Mondeuse or Trousseau can(sometimes)be;it’s delicious little bite.Anditisn’t remotely “difficult” like Tannat or there’s noturningback.It scratchesanitch.Icherishits there’sKrutzler noredundancy thatIcansee. variety withinthevariety, andamongPrieler, Walllner and native complexitywouldinvariably follow. Ialsowanted juiciness. Ifoundthatifsearched forelegance,thatBF’s it’s balanceditaddsanagreeable joltofdusttothevarietal tannic. obtrusively Tannin isinnatetothevariety, andwhen woodorwhosewineswereused toomuchblatantnew right supplier(s), I found myself repelled by anyone who often likeberriesandsmoke.AsIlookedaround forthe seldomespecially“fruity”and spicesweeds, very but Laurent is.Blaufränkisch is incisive, pointed, full of herbs isn’t “sweet” likeZweigelt anditisn’t “round” thewaySt. analogy to Cahors. Andyet there’s somethingthatresists direct Bordeaux-ish tome,oreven likeMalbec asitgrows in the more Idrinkthisvariety themore itfeelsright-bank length, power andconcentration,butyou reach senses andflattersthefood. tasty when itaffects Earnestly Gobelsburg, Berger, Setzer, Bründlmayer). which Ipleadwithyou nottoignore: (Hofer, Ecker, Schloss

fast.

H Thanks D H T B does don’t meanyou gots muscles.Iamagreat lover of r wo final pieces of happy news: therewo finalpiecesofhappynews: isatangible

elow theechelon inwhichred wineis

eds, which usuallyfallator below 13% alc and just seemto erewith a list of reds-from-white-wine growers, aving (asitwere) graduatedtoBlaufränkisch, Ifind For me, a red great wine is truly when it gladdens overextraction, overoaking andtoomuchalcohol)

Great, Ineedittobedelicious.It bores me not deliver. Just because you wear amuscle any other variety, except that it to observe

the attributesof“greatness” (whichusually avid. Ifeelbetternow. I’d alsoaddthat drain outofthebottle,you drink them That’s thebaseline. You

soreness.

can a point

add

can the 11

Introduction sale; seed look

ideal vivid

lower lower

wine-

level of level shallow shallow and the selected bottled.

favorite: favorite:

attentive attentive

reducing reducing but too long.

there were were there

overheated overheated is properly

them. Well, Well, them.

Bottling dates

in the fancy-food

oils (they really are are oils (they really wine merchants and wine merchants

distinctions between distinctions interesting (12/250ml) (12/500ml) (6/1.0L) // Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil Pumpkin Styria // Roasted ssortment seeds are mashed as they roast, and the more tender and the more mashed as they roast, seeds are -007 -010

A mashing, the more polished the final flavor. mashing, the more T T T

A A A toring and Handling too many many too polish and complexity. has amazing oil. It Bottle sizes also available, is 500 ml. Liter bottles are The basic size like to who’d which might be useful for restaurants like to get the experimental impulse who’d for retailers bottle. $20 in the lil’ the oil can be priced below O O -003 O at the color of the “rim” if you pour the oil into a if you at the color of the “rim” And tastes miraculous. need and therefore natural products The oils are shelf-life if stored it goes rancid. Guaranteed bottling. to eighteen months from twelve indicated on the label. are The of oils and early days I tasted a wide variety the In Typical millers whose oils I liked best. the three it to just one; oh no, confine geek, eh! I couldn’t to see the sustainable and I began time passed by were we business the oils would bring. If be selling a ton of these matrix we’d that good and that unique) but we’re I’m or contacts. So the networks have don’t we my very the assortment to just one producer, HIRSCHMANN. Tâche of pumpkin La makes the Leo Hirschmann 5. Relative gentleness or roughness of mashing. of mashing. or roughness gentleness 5. Relative The the the oil, a quick judgment on the quality of make To virtuallybe should center, the at opaque It bowl. it was roasted too brown, it’s at the rim. If green pressed and mashing, the seeds are After roasting cools off and gets all. It oil emerges. And that’s S a cool place; if the oil is them in Store treatment. offer 250ml bottles, we the per-ounce cost. Finally it, In In

out and

even even seed.

ACTS: ACTS:

case you case you

uses which become too

you develop develop you what it was.

—attributed

stripes rather

THE SEEDS

picturesque to picturesque THE F

patches at their in a sweet little in a sweet

quality of the oil

kind of pumpkin,

this food. It’s like a this food. It’s arduous.

re: A sed U of bread into it and tasted. of bread

t’s t’s I uality Q sweet, and then a little bowl of the and then a little bowl sweet,

w you ever did without it. I wonder I it. without did ever w you ho

actors for F VES. Accordingly, they are hand-scooped they are VES. Accordingly,

oil.

that gives the oils its incomparable flavor. the oils its incomparable flavor. that gives

while technically clean, lose a fine silvery-green t Tastes Like and How t Tastes

I it with extra-virgin olive oil, lest it cut it with extra-virgin olive clearly for dunking, but this stuff looked serious, clearly for dunking,

attentive human eyes and hands. human eyes attentive

ther Decisive 4. Temperature of roasting. The lower the temperature, the temperature, The lower of roasting. Temperature 4. a more give Higher temperatures the nuttier the flavor. flavor. a course, scorched high gives Too taste. roasted 3. Hand-washing of the seeds. Machine-washed of the seeds. Machine-washed 3. Hand-washing seeds, bloom is, not surprisingly, the QUALITY OF the QUALITY is, not surprisingly, quite of the pumpkin at harvest time; it’s see the women sitting in the pumpkin is said to be the work work—though an seeds produce of local origin. Imported 1. Seeds inferior machine can do this job as well 2. Hand-sorting. No as O It is dark, intense, viscous; a little goes a long way. intense, viscous; a little is dark, It in dunk bread it is used as a condiment; you Austria salads, potatoes, eggs, mushrooms, drizzle it over (in which salad dressings can use it in soups; you may doubtless many other are dominant!); there gleaned. If I am too big a food clod to have mind sharing them any hip ideas and don’t you. be glad to hear from of course—I’d of a particularthis oil is the product with yellow smaller than ours, and green the The main factor in than orange. THEMSEL What sweet, sexy secret a few of us share. Once you taste it, you taste it, you you Once a few of us share. sexy secret sweet, imagine barely can as intrinsically spectacular as this one. the essence of an ethereal its best, it tastes like At Since then everyone, without exception, who has visited everyone, then exception, without Since has come back raving about Austria and I wasn’t going to attempt it till I knew and I wasn’t And my culinary changed. life was forever in the world as littleknown another foodstuff if there’s country restaurant waiting for my food to arrive. Bread country Bread waiting for my food to arrive. restaurant and dark was brought, hair on grow that it wouldn’t my companion by Assured a corner my palms, I slipped It was on my first trip to Austria. In the achingly beautiful In the Austria. to on my first trip was It I was sitting Styria, of South region Hirschmann seen was placed before ever oil I’d most unctuous looking me, 12

Styria Hirschmann and sumptuousdeeplystructur primary andbelovedwithinAustria,for Prieler ataglance// An estatebothadmired returned toheroriginal lifeasascientist. barincool farmer-fizz Vienna calledle andshetoldmewhyshe’dCru, and leftthewinery New developments here. IdrankabottleofChampagnewithSilvia Prieler inthisabsolutely 8% St.Laurent, 3%Welschriesling 14% PinotNoir, 10%Chardonnay, 10%Merlot,PinotBlanc, Sauvignon, grape varieties//30%Blaufränkish,15%Cabernet Sinner top sites&soiltypes//Goldberg annual production //8,000cases vineyard area //20hectares Prieler he didn’t seem atalltentative oroverwhelmed. often. Georg andIspentagoodlongtimetogether Silvia, somethingwhichshesays he’s doinglessand provide “institutionalmemory,” andhecanalwayscall parents there, bothtodosomeofthework andalsoto her brother Georg, whoisnineyears younger. He hashis “And ofcourseifIgogetpulled in,”shesays. This leaves Vienna), andit’s hard forhertostayawayfrom theestate. Prieler isaclassicBurgenland estatemaking about75% But ofcourseyou wanttoknow; changefrom what?So: An inter Y et shestill lives in Schützen (andcommutesto (limestone, micaschist);Ungerbergen(limestonewithpebbles)

(i.e., less malo) and the reds more succulent(i.e.,fewer gravellytannins). more (i.e., lessmalo) andthereds esting questionis,willthewineschange?

ed

reds, both of which are undergoing certain deft transitions; the whites more undergoingcertaindefttransitions;the whitesmore bothofwhich are reds, (slate); Seeberg,

seriously resembles goodCôteD’Or. modeled onBurgundian lines,andwhenitworks it and brother both have tried to tame. It makes a wine a Pinot Noir that’s basicallyabuckingbronco thatsister sings. It canbe tannic butisnever coarse. There’s also markedly deep winethatsometimesbroods butoften reds differby variety, withtheBlaufränkisch leading,a more “sweet” langoustineandacacia-blossomnotes. The and delicatelyherbal.Only thebasicPinot Blanc shows whites are Provençal somewhat innature, i.e.,dry, stony red wine,supplemented by whiteandRosé. the Asarule Neusiedlersee-Hügelland //Schützen

hearty yet focused whites hearty yetfocusedwhites 13

Burgenland Prieler

AEP-084 AEP-091 AEP-087 AEP-095 AEP-092 AEP-089 AEP-090

2011 Blaufränkisch Ried Johannishöhe 14 2010 Blaufränkisch Ried Johannishöhe tasting the 2014. I’m the ‘11 in January introduce and we’ll this year, The 2010 will be sold through CORE LIST WINE. raw-silk still a deliberate mineral; there’s blatant really pepper and and of iron lots shows It time. the first for bottle in ‘10 or compromise because it simply doesn’t to the variety intro makes a good taut than the ‘09 was. It more but it’s texture Blaufränkisch. pure try chum; it’s to be your juice but more pepper; a deeper texture, and Sarawak bark charred ’11 is deep cassis, boisterous The much riper and more of the backdrop The flamboyant articulate. the 2010 again, it seemed cooler but more Tasting pepper-bacon. also more in the ‘10. exposed (though not disagreeable) ‘11 mitigates the tannin, which is more The ‘11’s in bottle now, sporting 13.8% alc (though the label says 14%), which barely registers through all the leesy cream. all the through registers sporting barely 13.8% alc (though the label says 14%), which in bottle now, The ‘11’s one), dividing shallow the of the lake (Neusidl, hills behind the north shore low “Leithaberg?” A range of What’s altitude. it at low over glide-paths landing to the north on their plain. Aircraft fly right Viennese the from “Pannonia” it belongs…), but before (see the back of this book, which is where also the name of the local appellation, or “DAC” It’s to cuvées made in order who wanted a name for separate of (12, I think) growers, a group by created that it was a Brand of these hillsides. the limestony soils from minerality, show The ‘12, fermented lobster and as nutty as basmati rice. as fresh as sweet it’s The 2011 has a curious note of currant-leaf; read. opaque to in large wood for the first time, was too 2011 Leithaberg Pinot Blanc, 6/750ml 2012 Chardonnay Ried Sinner 2012 Chardonnay unoaked This Correctly! Georg. says aren’t,” but actually mineral are say people wines overloaded these with bored get “I not sold on those glass. I’m I asked for a different identities. So switched if they’d as Blanc, is subtler than the Pinot Chard used forever. hadn’t me an old dusty Riedel tulip they brought everyonerather silly Zaltos uses, so Georg shells and straw and salt and a delicate oyster Pulverized A world of difference. Vastly. in it. better The wine was vastly juicy. was way more firm fruit texture with notes of chervil and the entire and sorrel, 2012 in this house reversed the usual contrast to ‘11; these wines are more linear and rocky and the ‘11s had more fruit. ‘11s had more and the and rocky linear more the usual contrast to ‘11; these wines are reversed 2012 in this house left Georg ‘11 was a corn bisque in comparison. and stone; the its starch in all for Chardonnay This could be mistaken a cat’s and there’s the lees until February, it was on and scree; phenolics starchy are in fact, so there it longer on the skins, tongue finish. 2012 Leithaberg Pinot Blanc, 6/750ml 2012 Pinot Blanc Seeberg One grows tired of ghettoizing pink wine as something that has to be drunk by Labor Day. This one’s a year-rounder made year-rounder a This one’s drunk that has to be pink wine as something of ghettoizing Labor Day. by tired grows One herbs twang, Provençal with a Rosé, a Riesling lover’s almost quite salty, it’s and 10% Merlot; 90% Blaufränkisch from oil and with olive wild king salmon Brush of fresh a piece in fact! back, a serious wine firm grip on the really and grasses; the same note. of wine; two octaves the fish and the on the grill, smell baby stick that you before 2012 Rosé vom Stein Rosé vom 2012

Burgenland Prieler Actually I’m really gob-smackedby this.High notesofsteelandmintcherry. they’re gonnacallit.It’s more likeaSpanish brandythanaCognac;nougatandcaramel; smoothandmarkedly complex. were up. grubbed So, thisisa1990,bottledinApril 2012,whichIguessmakesitan“XO” thoughIdon’t know what it. Instead hemadebrandy, noneofwhichwasever bottledorsold,buteachvintage wasmadeandageduntilthegrapes It seems there wassome Grüner Veltliner plantedin Prieler’s refused landatsomepoint,andEngelbert tomakewinefrom Well now! Brandy large casksthanSilvia had,andthishasanimal,bloodypromise. AndIdon’t meanbrett! This willbebottledearlierthanusual,“to It’s keepthefruit.” round andripeintheChambollestyle;Georg usedmore 2011 PinotNoirHochsatz,6/750ml( nothingincommonwiththem.It wine,andmorevirtually particular superbbecauseofit. isvery of“sweetness”sort here, andamagicallyintricatefinish. It hastheseethingpower oftheworld’s great reds, butotherwise this takesatleasttenyears. It’s oneofAustria’s icon-reds, andifyou score some,decantit2hoursout. There’s anangular It’s a leaner wine than Marienthal, but also more intense. Curiously, with age it becomes gentler and more Graves-like, but The hillisschistandthusthewinemineral.It shows aPomerol kindofprimordial andsmoke. earth iron, wintertruffle, j 2009 BlaufränkischGoldberg,6/750mlj decomposing leaves. side ofBlaufränkisch, dark andautumnal,withthegraphiteemittingatrackingsignalasthoughfrom underapileof where Prieler’s parcel’s inthesteepsection;it’s likeacarob cream Burgundian piewitharagoutofporcinis, theearthy In from Goldberg. factthiswineis poles apart It’s more seductive andchocolatey;aneast-facinglimestonevineyard, to thevineyard, situation.Now andtoexplicitlyestablishthenew that’s respect andcollegiality. thought itwastimeforachange,butfirst went tovisithisfriend,bearingsamples,ensure thatjusticewasbeingdone him andPrielers whereby theywouldn’t bottleMarienthal ifhedidn’t bottleGoldberg, where healsoowns land.Georg This sitehasbecomeiconicthankstothegreat vintagesfrom Triebamer, andthere wasatacitdo-not-competebetween 2011 BlaufränkischMarienthal,6/750ml( tannic grip, butit’s alsomore likelytobeblatantlystellar. Ilikeintroverted winesmore thanmostpeopledo. The ‘11seemsmore intenseandgraphite-ymostlybecauseofaswollenmid-palatefinish. It haslesssilkandmore because allthe(Grand tobottleunderitsown Goldberg Cru) isinit,havingbeendeemedunworthy name. of rosemary, leadingtoafinale of rocks andiron-filings, allwithasilkypolish…coolandblue.An exceptional vintage, yet is doesn’t “seduce” or flatter, it justexpresses itsfreaky complicatedself, anddoes itwith endlessjuicinessand asting reason toloveThe fragranceofthe2010isnearlyevery Blaufränkisch, meatiness, thepencilandpepperskirt-steak are paramount. Leithaberg reds are permittedtouselargebarrels orusedbarriquesaslongnoflavor isimparted. Thegrapeandground 2011 LeithabergBlaufränkisch,6/750mlj 2010 LeithabergBlaufränkisch,6/750ml j j )

j ) ( j ) ( j )

AEP-096 AEP-086 AEP-094 AEP-093 AEP-085 15

Burgenland Prieler

k was scratching its head in its nest on top of a // Rüst Neusiedlersee-Hügelland S A stor

and one of these nights I hope to join any more, dark isn’t The screen worldback. thedream goodtohave tumble naked Colbertas we Knightly o it’s and Keira Steven on our way to Washington Mt. down the snow through the B&G Oyster from Sounds Nootka eating six dozen all was I house to Heidi’s got I when anyway, But Bar. worth of visions, and I a chitterybuzzing from night’s with. wanted to see a friend I could relax

10% Furmint, 10% Grauburgunder, 10% Zweigelt, 5% Gelber Muskateller, Zweigelt, 5% Gelber Muskateller, 10% Grauburgunder, 10% Furmint, 10% 5% Sauvignon Blanc vineyard area // 10 hectares area vineyard // 3,300 cases annual production Turner top sites // Vogelsang, and sandy loam mica slate, limestone primary rock, soil types // eroded Blaufränkisch, 10% 25% Welschriesling, 25% Weissburgunder, grape varieties //

ent to see Heidi in the morning of a day when I in the morning ent to see Heidi I w

had dreamed like crazy the night before. Since I moved to moved I Since before. night the crazy like dreamed had it was. forgotten how again. I’d been dreaming Boston I’ve brutallyso was that all-consuming before lived I Where sleep was a kind of oblivion I needed just to cope with as if the like a 24-hour show, it’s being conscious. Now night furies. loose the noise dissipated and let throbbing carry to be willing to have it, but you the echo of I love into the day. dreamt you’ve whatever

If you’ve seen Heidi recently, and if you’d seen her before, you’ll notice she is gradually notice she is you’ll seen her before, and if you’d recently, seen Heidi you’ve If that does report She raindrops. the dodge can she and svelte more Any disappearing. the metamorphosis, but I myself am enjoying bemused, some of her girlfriends are very really do you did what but hot, thinking myself find I times at though “You’re with my friend Heidi?”

1616 Heidi Schröck Heidi

Burgenland Heidi Schröck but most important istosimply letitfind you. but mostimportant Being with a wine like this is a lesson in how to live and what to care about. You can buy and sell it if you like, as I do, the rarest sweetness. Yet itseemstolinger, asiftoconsoleyou. them, all those little lost flowers, and now it is almost Summer. known This is the wine of the triste of everything and lost, missed, asifyou’d beenatseaandreturned attheendofSpring, blossombutnot havingsmelled remembering every amazingly intuitive andmeditative; indirectly saltywithahint oftalc,asensesomethingyou know andyet have and osmanthusbread dough;dramaticallybetterfrom thesmallerglass,where itbecomesmore satinyandallusive; vintageisthebestinmanyyears,And thenew judgedstrictly aswinequawine.It’s subtle,andentirely haunting; quince the pear, thelow honey-sun,allthere inthesewines. expressesthat soperfectly thesadsweetness oflateAutumn. in The stubbornfragrantquince,thelittledivinity-crystals vanished by asmallcoterieofloyal idealists,difficulttogrow, late-ripeningandhighacidity, and asubtlesearching flavor I believe in, itwouldbethisone.8.82hectares inallofAustria—Heidi has10%of them—reintroduced after having I sometimesthinkifhadtoselectjustonewinefrom myentire thatwouldexpress portfolio whyIdothisandwhat 2012 Furmint j the sillyZaltos. and gingerwith Wellfleet nuances. coppery It’s anotherwinethatimproved inatulip-shapedglass—enough aromas, basmatiandtapioca;thetexture islees-creamy buttheflavors are bright,brinyandspicy;thefinishis rock-dust attractive shape.But vintageintothatvery thenew no,thisshows toform cooler ‘11, onemighthave expectedhertotry Here’s awinewhere thewayHeidi you canobserve letsherwinedetermineitself. Afterthefresh-corn “sweetness” ofthe 2012 Weissburgunder nowhere nearasopulentthe2011was,norwaxy—yet it’s alsotoovinoustodrinkice-cold,sopleasedon’t! of lemon-custard. The palateissurprisinglytautandsalty, creamy yet lively andfresh; somerice-pudding,butthisis Ho-Kay, it’s timeforamango-papayainfusion! Total vanilla brioche;allthat’s missingisthefoietorchon. Even anote 2012 GelberMuskatellerj definitely ayear-round rosé. forit.Forvocabulary now, it’s a“heavy” winethatfeintstoward fruited tomato-waterandrhubarbrose hips,andit’s rosé ofanyIknow. Vinous, borderline funky, ratherinthe“natural” idiom,andIthinkneedtwoyears toarrive atthe This ismadefrom eightvarieties, several of which are, let’s say, notofficially “recognized” in Austria. It’s themostoriginal 2012 Rosé“Biscaya” market (butdeliciousthenasnow). vintage ofHalbtrocken wines,anathemain when into a shape she has determined in fruit advance. In 2004 two Heidi-vintages are others onlysaytheydo—letherwinesleadtheway. No is thatshe’s whoreally oneofthefew does genialhours. few Heidi, andherwines,lifeamongthestorks, fora I thoughtwasstilldreaming. AndsoIjoinedmyfriend over acluein the Times crossword puzzle.For aninstant one scratch its head before; he looked like he was stumped mating callsandtheirsillyyet beatificfaces.I’d never seen with theirdreamy kite-likeflightandtheirclacketty also known asLakeNeusidl. Beautiful, magicalbirds, Spring andgorgethemselves from theStork-smorgasbord neighboring house.Rust isfullofstorks. They arrive inthe O

nothing wantedtofermentfully, shemadeanentire f themanythingsIlove aboutHeidi Schröck,one

the

same. She doesn’t wrestle her

what somany

the domestic Because allshehastodoisofferit. elegance andsweetness. Ihave noidea graceful. She people few is one of those very and you can talk with her. I mean, what can met her, theeasiestwaytosumherupissay met Heidi willknow exactlywhatImean.If you them. Iknow you know whatImean.Anyofyou love themeven more becauseIlove thepersonwho effacing. She invitesaffectionwithnodiscernible conscientious andthoughtfulwithoutbeingat anyone Iknow, shedoesn’t seemtoknow how H been for her. But that’s how people, it is with certain might entail—none,Isuspect—butsheis aboutaperson? important to have figured outhow tolive. She possesses eidi’s oneofthem. Though she’s aslustyand S I’ d love Heidi’s wineseven ifIdidn’t love Heidi, but he makesitlookeasy. Much easier, infact,thanit

what effort this what effort

already with who

AHS-141 AHS-140 AHS-137 AHS-138 an innate not tobe she’s real, earthy as earthy naturally

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Burgenland Heidi Schröck

was

AHS-145 AHS-133 AHS-136 AHS-130H AHS-123H AHS-139H

I spoke with him on

Illmitz.

gentlemanly of me... Now of course it’s of course it’s gentlemanly of me... Now

Kracher’s distressingly premature death. premature distressingly Kracher’s

e are two wines, a dry one called Greiner (the two wines, a drye are one called Greiner of Vin Divino. Nor do I know how much wine how do I know Nor Divino. Vin of

Ther

dinner. She’d told me about the project, and I assured and I assured told me about the project, She’d dinner.

honeyed, like a Satsuma marmalade with smoked salt, smoked with marmalade Satsuma a trulylike honeyed,

a new project, and he wondered what sort help make on of wine he might a new and he wondered project,

usbruch, 6/375ml A want to be the only guy selling it.

Ausbruch. Both are now '07s. now Both are Ausbruch. with Vin Divino on joint marketing and sales, assuming they felt the same. Luis said he they felt the same. Luis and sales, assuming on joint marketing Divino Vin with

usbruch “On The Wings Of Dawn,” 6/375ml j usbruch “On The A shore of the Neusiedlersee, where the soils were more complex than the sands of more the soils were where of the Neusiedlersee, shore

e and Heidi were friends, and “Luis” loved friends, and “Luis” were e and Heidi H 2007 Schröck & Kracher Ruster Halbtrocken Welschriesling 2008 Schröck & Kracher Greiner 18 Whether it’s the more elegant ’07 vintage, or whether it’s another level of know-how with the second vintage, these wines of know-how another level elegant ’07 vintage, or whether it’s the more Whether it’s you can taste the synergy for the first time and the somewhat from ungainly maiden voyage, in another league entirely are at the beginning. the project motivated that must have a classic example of the baroque assertive 2006. It’s more than the hotter, forceful is warmer and more The Ausbruch This has magma power. creamy. quite bruléed but not really and vanillin, genre; of the Ausbruch power 2007 Schröck & Kracher Greiner Welschriesling, 6/750ml Welschriesling, 2007 Schröck & Kracher Greiner Heidi’s cell phone one day as she and I were driving home from cell phone one day as she and I were Heidi’s be glad to collaborate I’d Luis extraordinarily think it was I didn’t why. to hear it, and I wondered very relieved becoming what’s not sure is gone. As I write I’m all changed. Alas. Luis I wants to sell. I only know Heidi an and name of the vineyard) The Trio of Schröck & Kracher Wines The Trio what with Alois under sad circumstances, though be released, These can now the “other” More dried than botrytised grapes, and so it’s saltier and more more and saltier botrytisedthan dried it’s so and grapes, More Heidi told me it was nearly impossible to make Ausbruch in Rust in 2011, and she surmises that her one sole cask is the she surmises that her one sole cask is the in 2011, and in Rust me it was nearly impossible to make Ausbruch told Heidi made these wines his whole life and who died that year, it, as an homage to her father who she had to do only one. But to his girl. (and the wines) down passed the knowledge 2011 Ruster 2010 Beerenauslese “Selektion,” 6/375ml “Selektion,” 2010 Beerenauslese if not demure It’s butteryThis is somewhat grace and delicacy. more been; more and less grainy than it sometimes has to afford. easy to drink—and markedly wine it’s “dessert” and as a of finesse, quite “ladylike.” Full but the heart-storytouching. behind it is unbearably The wine itself is lovely, cinnamon and fig. Fermented wild, aged in three small casks, one of which is new, fermented in those casks and kept on the gross lees with the gross casks and kept on fermented in those is new, casks, one of which small wild, aged in three Fermented suited than more isn’t Gris white, and I start my go-to woody to wonder if Pinot in cask. It’s and malo also lots of stirring, but having said the fat and muscle, Gris has it. destroys is a wuss, the oak Chard kind of vinification. to this Chardonnay lees and an oatmeal absorption of Wonderful forbears. less oak than its and grape-sweetness more ‘11 shows that, this 13% alc. year—just feet each It gets lighter on its the cask flavors. richness to go with 2011 Grauburgunder 2011

Burgenland Heidi Schröck and umlaut-y. Until tasteit. they out toshow tocustomers. Most don’t know whatitis,andsupposemightbeallweird My localdistributorcarriesSattler’s basicSt. Laurent, soI’ve beenalongwhileit’s taken Weißburgunder (PinotBlanc),Welschriesling grape varieties//60%Zweigelt,30%St.Laurent,Sauvignon, 10%Syrah,Cabernet soil types//gravelwithbrown earth and sand annual production //5,800cases vineyard area //15hectares Sattler

more soallthetime. There aren’t manywines.He knows knocks over your fence. course the stipend paid byGuernsey a drunken when he mnemonic—it’s like“Zonked Cow-Rent” whichisof Low (like“cow”) Rent". In fact,here’s thehandy-dandy Sawhn Lawhrahn,insteadofthemucheasier “Zonked customer insistsonpronouncing itasifwere French— of thewinecompletesitsseduction.Idon’t even care ifa successiv E Then Igettowatchthegradualmeltingawayofeach verything aboutthisestateiscandidandgetting verything e layer of resistance, asthesumptuousprettiness

yourself, pleaseyour customers, andsellsomewine. your competenceattheprevailing style,you comfort timorousness andinsecurity.certain If you candemonstrate the familiaridioms. You are, inotherwords, guidedby a thatyou cancompetewithviable winesin (and yourself) which you modelyour own. You reassure your customers the topperformers. press isalsonoticing, andthewinesare prominent among more. hisfruit less oakyashetrusts The Austrian wine what he wants to do, and does it. The wines are getting When y ou start out you have certain wines against outyou winesagainst haveou start certain Neusiedlersee //Tadten 19

Burgenland Sattler in

AST-046 AST-044 AST-047 AST-048 AST-045 AST-050 “We make “We “only with “only

grad, 4th generation

and you barely know why. why. know barely and you did,” he says, recently as 1999. recently

a wine-school

taking over as taking over

my grandfather bring you pleasure. I love these kinds of wines, these I love pleasure. bring you is suddenly empty is suddenly

tell you why: it’s because the wine tastes good because the wine why: it’s tell you

know. You take the first sip and think “Well sure, sure, first sip and think take the “Well You know. it’s clean and pleasant and all, but...” and then and all, but...” and and pleasant clean it’s machines.”

rich Sattler is emblematic of the new is emblematic of generation rich Sattler attler is one of the few young growers I know I know growers the few is one of attler young

isn’t out to get your attention but instead seeks attention but get your out to isn’t S E invites you to keep sipping. invites you

better as you O.K., the glass and who to merely I could vintners, Austrian the family, wine as

owers stop there. They know the right things the They know stop there. owers rowers who are capable and curious, who actually curious, who actually capable and who are rowers A lot of gr A lot G 2011 Zweigelt “Wonderful Life,” 6/750ml j 2011 Zweigelt “Wonderful song. (I think he should use Cave cuvée, and name it after a Nick will bottle a single-vineyard and again Erich Now offer the wine in I tasted a cask sample; we’ll Sandwich.”) Weenie just because I want to sell a wine called “Burnt Zappa, a savoryThis is quite, deep; really and the last time it was made alone was 2006. vineyard, a 45-year-old 2014. It’s January deeply and the wine is more peppers; the tannin is absorbed well, and Madagascar with a jus including cloves pork-roast with its earth, and truffle. mushroom Burgundian also more than the “Reserve,” and and broodier engraved this vintage. Szechuan spare-rib and apple- spare-rib he aced this vintage. Szechuan to applaud how just have You delicious! This smells totally frickin’ notes of cedar; the palate is spicier than the fragrance, with more berries and embedded low smoked bacon, oozing-sweet and complex, and a stellar achievement. Tasty violets and char. mint and snap, 2011 Zweigelt Reserve j j 2011 St. Laurent Reserve j 2011 St. Laurent blackberried and seriously rich, not just shrieking with I tasted it, so …but it was explosively Bottled the day before of fruit; river smoky char comes near and a big slow balanced tannin here, A sweet berries. tannin and mint and overripe wants of you not tiring. Part want to sip it again; it’s You with its gushing richness it still seems fresh. the end, and even to slug it down. 2012 Zweigelt on the fine lees under CO2, and it needs time it’s This will be good, but right now CORE LIST WINE. (Cask sample). than dust and Cab Franc tobacco and raspberry in the more to go more directions, Seems to shrug away its reduction. see. we’ll But and Barbera. roses 2012 St. Laurent roast chocolatey; and balanced lovely, It’s reds. 2012 the in confidence such have I why is This CORE LIST WINE. less though it’s and truly ‘11, rounder than richer, one of the finer vintages, less effusive for me it’s duck with plum glaze; actually drink it, so the fruit will be even warmer than I’d a few degrees Tasted notes of iron. “intense.” Again the low you can get with fruit alone. exotica much stuffing-drenched of wood, so look at how As always, not a scrap shapelier. Deep rhubarb and cranberry color, and again year-round vinosity; sockeye and tomato-water. Not a picnic wine unless Not and tomato-water. vinosity; sockeye and again year-round rhubarb and cranberryDeep color, a goat. plan to roast you 2012 Zweigelt Rosé 20 that a fewyears after often find will to develop, want they can trust the essential taste of their fruit. And so things that are to favor work they adjust their cellar Oak that which is applied later. and downplay inherent good servant. being a bad master to being a goes from I Sattler’s happening at Erich what’s think this is exactly tidy little winery. a serious facsimile of a plausible they can create and say, to in the end But tasty. often wines are and the wine estate, the to answer no way they have Because dull. they are to say? What is yours crucial exist? you questions: why do

Burgenland Sattler dotted over thegentle upward roll. Only the Eisenberg cellarsandHeurigen,which containsallthewinery the sleepyvillageofDeutsch Schützen, calledWeinberg, red wine. There’s ofsub-villageon thehillabove asort were stainingtheirteeth withspicy fullandpeoplestarted and itwassunny, atnoonthetastingrooms and starting people andthecrashofglasses. It wasopen-doorday, could goaground there, ifyou wanted tohide. The road signs are inbothlanguages. You feellikeyou close totheborder because there mightbeland-mines.” the guard towers, andourparents toldusnottoplaytoo is inHungary. When we were kidswe’d seethelightsfrom foreground, that’s inAustria,”onebehindit hesaid.“The and lookedacross thevalley. village you seeinthe “The “like alostworld,”asGiles MacDonogh wrote. little winkycornerrightontheborder toHungary. It feels offasliceoftheMoselcarved andploppeditdown ina crazily steepEisenberg hillinfront ofyou, asifsomeone some more. Andthensuddenlyyou emergewiththe ridges. You can’t drive fast. You andcurve andcurve curve and thenthroughfoldsofdeeplywooded anotherfew a lovely chaosofverdant hillscalledtheBucklinger Welt, Rüst where you passthrough mycolleagueandIstarted, matter where from. you From started Vienna, orfrom bonus thatthetinyregion entailedabitofschlepno soils. Nothing elsetastesliketheydo. It wasanadded that comesfrom thoseiron-rich volcanic oftenschisty course thepromise ofthewines,specialBlaufränkisch et asImadetheentirely drive new toanentirely wondering eyes. What drew metoSüdburgenlandwasof edgier kind,whenyouaforeign view placewiththosekeen place,Irealizednew theotherkindofexcitement, the or “IgettoseeLudwig today,” isfullofpleasantanticipation. andsoeachmorning usuallysomeplaceIlike,andthink“IgettoseeHeidiI wakeupeachmorning, today,” A benefittomyworking lifeisthatIgettovisitpeopleandplacesI’ve fondof. grown very Südburgenland Though onthe W And y e satinthetastingroom withReinhold Krutzler day we visited, allwasaclamorof wine slutwho can’t sayno toanythingexciting. sounds socerebral! In factI’m justahelplesspromiscuous two excellent estates, I offer them both. Ha ha; that the tidiestpossibleway, andratherthanchoosebetween is thatbasis,atitsbest?How goodcan“good” be? on abasis. question:howWhich makes usaskanew good such things are appreciated best when they’re predicated easier wedge intothisregion. isindeedelite,but Krutzler andaffordableyou something hearty sothatyou’d have an myprideofassociation.Butstrutted Iwantedtoalsooffer Blaufränkisch. Wachau Grüner Veltliner were red, itwouldbeEisenberg you prize mineralityhighestamongflavors. If really fervid experienceoftastingwhitewine,especiallyif particular and Madagascar. It’s the closest red wine comes to the of various peppercorns from Indonesia and Sumatra of be called“peppery,” butthesewinesshow anabundance a compellingpointedspiciness.Most Blaufränkisch can schist thatgives thewinesanalmostblatantmineralityand also loam, but also the unique configuration of iron and grows onloamandclay. Here inSüdburgenlandthere’s water andwarmsslowly. In Mittelburgenland itoften Wallner—is fineindeed. very wineestates, atleastoneofwhich— host offinecountry UweSchiefer, andKrutzler, themare andsupporting a There are three acknowledged elitegrowers: Szemes, the remarkable Blaufränkisch that concerns us here. but it’swhich isactuallymadefrom vitisLabrusca, itself isdramatic;therest oftheregion isgentleandpretty. nuanced pepper, asthoughyou were conductingtasting Thus Io I couldhav As ar Ther e’s a localwinespecialtycalledUhudler, ule Blaufränkisch likes aheavysoilthatholds vercome mydesire in toshapethisportfolio e fastenedmyselftothe“top” guyand 21

Südburgenland

” Genuine, typical, earthy. typical, earthy. ” Genuine, I get up and pace the room and mutter and mutter good I get up and pace the room erhard believes in keeping back-vintages around as in keeping back-vintages around believes erhard G // Deutsch-Schützen Südburgenland know myself by now. When a wine is great I sit with my my with sit I great a wine is When now. myself by know letting its greatness at the air, chin in my hands and stare soak in, saying very when a wine is entirely little. And wonderfully delicious!” this is farking “Wow, present to anyone do it when no one’s even to that effect. (I’ll or words will Wallner to take my word.) have but you present, very will make you nearly Wallner smile. make you at pause you also make will Wallner But out loud. laugh not are times, because these wines, as happy as they are, jolly or boisterous. is like when what Blaufränkisch long as possible, to show to going I’m but wines, young his like I infancy. its of out as I possibly can. these vintages as long you show echt—typisch—erdig

vineyard area // 8 hectares area vineyard // 2,500 cases annual production to (profound, medium-weight Weinberg // Deutsch-Schützen top sites & soil types mixed with slate and iron oxide) weight loam and sand 2% as well as Zweigelt 7%, St. Laurent 70% Blaufränkisch, grape varieties // 13% white Cabernet for the Cuvee); appr. Sauvignon 5% and Merlot 3% (only Eisenberg (light to medium- in deeper layers, some iron oxide); heavy loam over slate Excellent supplier of juicy and varietally scrupulous wines from a “lost world” in extreme Excellent supplier of juicy and varietally scrupulous wines from a “lost world” // Wallner grows Zweigelt and St. Laurent Laurent and St. Zweigelt grows Wallner

erhard Wallner assumed the estate from his father his father from assumed the estate Wallner erhard Though G

in 2002, and is up to “a good 7 hectares,” making making 7 hectares,” good in 2002, and is up to “a tempted to suppose you’re If polished wine. honest yet are Nor rustic, me they aren’t. believe the wines are They’re heavy-footed. or foursquare rough-cut, they hearty a convey wines that also delicious, extroverted, all the uniquely spicy character They show lot of finesse. and clarity of the best wines of the region. (as well as a little Cab and Merlot), the Blaufränkisch the Blaufränkisch as a little Cab and Merlot), (as well the wine I’ll it’s and and center, front is obviously practice, I drank the concentrate on. As is my standard deciding a period of months before wines at home over wine drinks a to visit the estate; I always want to see how I in a tasting situation. it “performs” rather than how

Luscious yet peppery, “rural” but not at all rustic, and lip-smacking drinkable. how the wines taste // Luscious yet peppery, 22 Wallner at a glance a at Wallner southeastern Austria. Sums it right up. Sums

His little brochure has the emblem “ has the emblem little brochure His Wallner

Südburgenland Wallner over afire ofvineshoots. baked inakiln. Yet forallitsintensityit’s alsosuppleandgracefulasitsmoldersaway. It’s likeasaddleoflambcooked barriques); itshows themassive smokyessenceofBF;immense,capacious,radioactively spicyandpeppery, likefruit It’s from oldvines—atleastover 40andsomeasold90—donein500-liter casks(more thandoublethesize of one called“Nameless” that’s besthecandofrom Blaufränkisch. thevery Wallner makestwotêtesdecuvée , oneofthemablendcalled“Kentaur” thatincludes“international” varieties, andthis 2009 Blaufränkisch“Namenlos”j andthevinous I liketheagedbeefandsummertruffle “sweetness” thatharkens alittleto Burgundy. feel tobedecadentinafaded-flowers kindofway. Iagree thewineisnow fullytertiary, andthishappenedratherfast,but wine,whichfastidious tastersmay And buythisoneforsheerhedonism,thoughopinionsmaydifferaboutparticular 2007 BlaufränkischReservej complex andnettley. Buy thisonetoseewhatgrapeis. Another pure, howl-at-the-moon BF;precise andprecisely mytype,Serrano-smoky, truffley, amazinglysilkytexture, 2008 BlaufränkischReservej winesaturatedwithsomewhereness.a no-quarter-given little guy’s packing5.6g/lwhichmaybewhyBFissoappealingtouswhite-winechaps. This ‘11iswildlyherbalandjuicy, but feelsadamantlydry. Did you know how hightheacidityisinthisvariety? Higher thanChampagneinfact,andthis to explain. The wine is classic pepper-and-weeds in his warm grilled-meat style; the tanninisdustyandwine ripe It’s thesamewine,butnow theregion hasits“DAC” andsothelabelchangesthere’s onemore uselessthingtohave 2011 BlaufränkischEisenbergD showing really focusedpepperandmineral.Incisive andhi-def. When it’s gone,we’ll proceed to… For12.5% alc,wonderfully! meit’s wineifyou wanttounderstandthevariety; silkyanddeeplyberried theentry This cool,longseasongives awineitselfprecise andcool,asifgivingaspeechithadplentyoftimetomemorize. Only 2008 Blaufränkisch

A

C

AWL-005 AWL-003 A A AWL-010 WL-002 WL-002 WL-011 23

Südburgenland Wallner

ts analyses would utzler’s is a 10-hectare estate, not very is a 10-hectare big at all, utzler’s BF is a high-acid grape in any case. I Kr // Deutsch-Schützen Südburgenland shock you, in fact. I’m all too aware there’s a theory that there’s all too aware in fact. I’m shock you, the high acid, but it is far from have wines shouldn’t red on its acidity; it makes thrives whole truth. Blaufränkisch intense; it broodingly when they’re even wines fresh the at their best. clarity they show them the incisive gives his wines through sells He on the Eisenberg. with three and most of what I had to taste Wallner, faster than does I had many very bottled 2011s. Fortunately recently were vintages at home, so I could see mature months with more ‘10s with the necessarythese brash young perspective. minerality,” “concise, earthy, fruity, sophisticated.” He has sophisticated.” He fruity, earthy, “concise, minerality,” small-blendmaking from derive results best his that found identifies thealso bottlings. He cuvées rather than single-site temperatures night and day between swings wide unusually as major contributors to the fervent he seeks. aromas (light to medium-weight loam and sand mixed with slate and ironoxide) loam and sand mixed with slate (light to medium-weight

vineyard area // 10 hectares area vineyard // 5,833 cases annual production and Bründlgfangen Weinberg // Deutsch-Schützen top sites & soil types deeper layers, some ironoxide); to heavy loam over slate in (profound, medium-weight Eisenberg as Caberne Zweigelt 8%, Merlot 3% as well Blaufränkisch 84%, grape varieties // Sauvignon 2% (only for the Cuvee); 3 % white Sauvignon 2% (only etch for me. Krutzler’s in a price etch for me. Krutzler’s e more sophisticated than Wallner’s Wallner’s sophisticated than e more et when you talk with Reinhold Krutzler about Reinhold with talk you et when

Though they ar And y This is a bit of a str

his grape growing or winemaking you find you have almost have you find you winemaking or growing grape his or of variety regardless like this, Wines to report. no “news” excellent the same: grow always treated are of color, even grapes, not too many of them, pick at the best possible read When you time, and do very little in the winery. his priorities emerge quite clearly. his brochure through “The texture,” intenseexude wines “silky minerality,” “Fine wines, they’re by no means anonymously “international.” no means by wines, they’re But say. might one miles, frequent-flyer more have They home is. they do not forget where segment with which we normally generate only moderatesegment with which we very wines, best red among Austria’s his are numbers. But exactly what these you and I feel a sense of duty to show wines can do.

Weighty and classy, with more polish and sheen than Wallner's more lusty forthright style. with more polish and sheen than Wallner's classy, and how the wines taste // Weighty still quintessential Blaufränkisch! YET: Krutzler at a glance // The “top” estate in Südburgenland is among the elite red-wine producers in all of Austria. That an estate as stellar as this one was without an American importer following the importer following an American as stellar as this one was without That an estate veryme On feelings. years—gives six some of period mixed DiVino—a Vin at troubles this about more need to care We the other hand—why? On lucky. I’m one hand, sure, these then a single taste of any of why, still not sure and if you’re grape, remarkable will convince you.

24 Krutzler Krutzler

Südburgenland Krutzler 2011 Blaufränkisch“Perwolff,” 6/1.5L( 2011 Blaufränkisch“Perwolff,” 12/375ml( 2011 Blaufränkisch“Perwolff,” 6/750ml( to tannin,soyou mightfindthiswinethrillingrightnow. tannin jive, andyou canarguethetanninis“sweet.” I’d stilllayitdown, andletmerepeat thatI’m quirkily oversensitive It hasabeautifulclassyaroma; smoke,violets,currant-leaf, entirely polishedandfetching. It doesthe2011mint-and- 2011 BlaufränkischReserve,6/1.5L 2011 BlaufränkischReserve and diplomaticBF—butjust3weeks in-bottle.Spicy andSangiovese-like, withtonsinreserve. LIST WINE. HARD-CORE The aromas are subduedbutthepalateiscreamy as2012is;it’s andfruit-driven adiscreet 2012 Blaufränkisch( who don’t focusonZweigelt. It’s polishedandlively, withaBarbera-like acidityandvioletslikecrazy. I toldmyselfdon’t doit,focusonBlaufränkisch, butthewinewonmeover, andistheclassamongZweigelts from people 2012 Zweigelt calm down. “sweet” inthemodernidiom,andit’s toosoon forthevarietal specificstoshow through; itssouliswaitingforthingsto the deepricharoma, withitsLynch-Bages cassis,hintofcedar, black-pepperandpencilshavings. The palateisclearly But backtoreality, and to thisbrooding opaquely tannic infant.Still, some sweet mass pulses through; you have totrust flowery andcharming. considering how massive andadamantit is atfirst.A2001from magnum was complexandalmostfiligree, direct and A curiosityofthisoften-great wineishow tenderanddelicateitbecomeswiththeageneeds—13-16 years atleast— 2011 BlaufränkischReserve,12/375ml

j )

j ) j ) j )

AKR-006M AKR-009M AKR-009H AKR-006H AKR-009 AKR-004 AKR-005 AKR-006 25

Südburgenland Krutzler ’s ’s

at every AGL-169

And with steadily increasingAnd with

Carnuntum // Göttlesbrunn ease dryease guarantee to also extract but he could, if wished, work much of his land he could, if wished, work down. He has 54 hectares of vineyards, of vineyards, has 54 hectares He down. ripeness. Glatzer does all his harvesting by ripeness. Glatzer grapes. He’ll green-harvest when necessary, green-harvest when necessary, grapes. He’ll incr

he aims, like all the young lions, to grow the lions, to grow he aims, like all the young

purring sex-kitten reds.

wly-built cellar in order to keep fermentation keep to order in cellar wly-built e’s installed two fermenters, one for reds and installed two fermenters, one for reds e’s of the prevailing mistakes: too much extraction, mistakes: too much extraction, of the prevailing ne grasp. But year-in and year-out these are absolutely these are and year-out year-in But grasp. H I also want to sing a paen of praise to this man I also want to sing a paen of praise

admired and preened over. He could easily make He over. and preened admired wines. He makes them to be drunk and loved, makes them to be drunk and loved, wines. He astringent, too tannic, too oaky, reaching beyond beyond reaching astringent, too tannic, too oaky,

for whites, the second of which is kept underground underground for whites, the second of which is kept

(gravel and clay, with high lime content); ltenberg (gravel and clay, A red each hand, though not too their delicious one a in temperatures which from best possible to only not physiological machine. by

better drink it.

wine in the cellar, wine in the cellar,

(gravel, loam and clay); (gravel, loam and clay);

love. And they’re cheaper than therapy! they’re And love.

annual production // 25,000 cases annual production // 54 hectares area vineyard // Rosenberg, Kräften(calcerous clay); top sites & soil types Haidacker Blanc, 3% Sauvignon 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Weissburgunder, other 2% Syrah, 2% Noir, 2% Pinot 2% St. Laurent, (sandy loam and clay) Bärenreise Schüttenberg (sandy loam and gravel); Blaufränkisch, 12% Grüner Veltliner, 37% Zweigelt, 17% grape varieties // AGL-166 Glatzer as a supplier of “useful”white a supplier of “useful”white as Glatzer which always bulk up with a year in which always bulk up with a year among the reds. Tight, reductively brilliant whites that should be poured by the glass among the reds. Tight,

occurrence! He’s also obsessively motivated to motivated also obsessively He’s occurrence! tasting. They’re as soul-satisfying as a steaming bowl of spaghetti; they seem to a steaming bowl as soul-satisfying as They’re tasting.

alter Glatzer is a miracle. An amazingly nice alter Glatzer of Glatzer’s ‘97 GrüVe Dornenvogel buried away Dornenvogel ‘97 GrüVe of Glatzer’s , especially

down-to-earth prices; this isn’t, you know, an know, you prices; this isn’t, down-to-earth making sensational wines and offering them at making sensational wines and offering the Wachau—at a third of the price. a third Wachau—at the improving the wines, which he seems to do annually. the wines, which he improving

W W

restaurant in the universe! 26 Glatzer at a glance // Along with Ecker these areoffering. values in this the best 2012 Grüner Veltliner “Dornenvogel” j 2012 Grüner Veltliner avian marauders who like to dine on his ripest grapes. Some after the named “Thorn top wines are Bird” Glatzer’s fresh like really a big jump: this one’s this, but in ‘12 there’s GV and the regular only a small step between there’s years of two it, into went lots Three secret-sweetness. and mineral and starch of full oil, olive Greek cold-pressed unfiltered resinous length and spice and a splendid finish combining mizuna snap, marked which fermented ambient; it shows pepper and semi-funky hedge flowers. Like a lot of `12s; super aromas, ripe snappy salty entry, and then a slightly abrupt finish. But no and then a slightly abrupt finish. CORE ripe snappy salty entry, WINE. Like a lot of `12s; super aromas, LIST drink this sucka and grab for the next sip. you studying a wine like this; worries; no one’s 2012 Grüner Veltliner way everyday guy, keep in an out-of-the-way case, and thought I’d in an out-of-the-way case, and thought which in most cases means two vintages. This is especially which in most cases means two vintages. good for the reds, a low-fill ones. I discovered the “wee” bottle—even bottle kept it! One I wish I’d The wine was wonderful, and now gets used to seeing thought about, and hardly wines to be pounded through but this ‘97 was every bit as good as an entry-level Smaragd from worth 18 months back so as to have of asmart doing thing:holdingstocks alter Glatzer’s

These are the wines—the only kinds of wines—you actually want to drink after a big want to drink after a actually only kinds of wines—you the wines—the These are day of offer unconditional Glatzer quality

Carnuntum Glatzer and softenit. This ideawas“met withinterest.” statement ofBFandIwanttoshow it,thoughIdidwhisperthatanadditionof 2-3%Merlot (whichhehas)wouldopen Probably themosttannicwineI’ve ever offered. But I’m hopingthespicypower willovercome offruit it.It’s animportant 2011 Blaufränkisch“Bernreiser” and ripenessacceptthetannin. in thisregard. andtannin,butIsuspectyou’llThis oneis agiantimplosionoffruit fallinlove withitsdensityandpower This andthenextwineare examplesofmyantipathytowinesIfindtootannic,butalsounderstandingoddness j 2011 Zweigelt“Dornenvogel” and anessenceofplums. cheeseburgerinliquidform… Think ofaperfect It’s hugelyseductive. If itwere someoneinabaryou’d bestaringlikeasalivating beastatit.It’s alsolong,andperfumey, 2011 St.Laurent they will. really savvy restaurant wouldpourthem and itdispersesintosmallstreams ofBFifnotquitetheclassicpepper. ofspiceandsofttannin;ithasthecrustiness A CORE-LIST WINE . 2012 Blaufränkischj ridiculously attractive. utter bestofthepuritysimplicity. Yet don’t supposeitis“light” orslim;itisrichbutdirectly fruity, anditis CORE-LIST WINE. 2012 Zweigelt“Riedencuvée” as itwarmsintheglass. Crisp, togettortilla-rich snappyandeven alittlephenolic;has13%butseemsascrispwintertwig,thoughitstarts 2012 Weissburgunder and spicy. His bestyet. its higher price. Salty, rich and flinty, and now we see an almost Riesling-like minerality; long and penetrating but savory HARD-CORE LISTWINE. Thought we’d tradeupthisyear, asunlike2011,thisoneisaseriousupgradeandworth 2012 SauvignonBlancSchüttenbergj delicate bell-peppernote;really Old World, bubble-gumhere, noperfumey justacoolSBlike Touraine oreven Quincy. A littlevogue hasdeveloped forthislovely fellow. The ‘12shows classicgrassiness(butnot“vegetal”) andredcurrant anda 2012 SauvignonBlanc

The best“basic” BFyet from Walter. It haslengthandaconcentratedroundness—it isn’t ablob— Can a red wine smell prettier than this? Or taste creamier, or more animally

AGL-172 AGL-172

both as a flight, andlet guestscompare, and watchthebottle-orders flyin—for

delicious? This is the AGL-175 AGL-168 AGL-173 AGL-167 AGL-176 AGL-174 AGL-171 27

Carnuntum Glatzer they leapt away from me it was on muscular sinewy me it was on muscular away from they leapt legs. tasted. and full of oxygen. We So I got to Ott, happy of his son laughing. The boy isHe played me a tape like that, and somethingseven or eight, something not stop, made him keepmade him laugh and laugh generated another burstlaughing so that each sound was so wrenchinglyof laughing, and the and the innocence the life force gorgeous and sad, played it again and again, and notinevitably lost; we funny. only because it was now two and into the room, Little Rosalie came into hisa half but still daddy's girl, still snuggling seconds toshoulder and peering out every few she nothing crucial was happening that make sure she was fetched,might miss. After ten minutes or so and as she toddled away she turned and waved a jaunty goodbye—see ya. The Swedish woman who little last year has a baby of her own now, was there carries in aMagnus, four months old, whom she who regarded snuggly on her belly; a curious child, he would creatures as if we were us quite intently, need to consider at a later time. outside for When our work was finished we went a one eats in"jause." This is a snack of simple food delivered It entailed raw-milk butter, the open air. and milk, cream twice a week along with raw organic when thejoghurt—the son complained one week,

Day on the Tasting Trip the Tasting Day on 28 I saw rabbits, deer and pheasants in the vineyards.I saw rabbits, deer and pheasants in pests they are these creatures a wine grower To themselves,grudgingly accept; they like the animals it was vines. Yet but they bother their work and their except me and somehow; no one there all so free, and the rapeseed fields flowering trees the hundred huge, were and the grape hyacinths. The two deer and when when they have no predators, as they are I got to Feuersbrunn an hour early for my visit to Ott,I got to Feuersbrunn and went for a walk. Leadingso I seized the caprice lined with ornamental the hills was a road toward on the mildcherries, all in bloom, heavily scented full of clovers and were The vineyards humid day. whosegrape hyacinth and other little bloomies and very It was the lunch hour, know. names I don’t up the noisequiet; when the 2pm tractors started as I walkedwas jarring. But for now it was peaceful along. I was alone this year. My colleagues were otherwisewere My colleagues I was alone this year. their either working or getting to know busy, newborns, old so I went about by myself, like in the was different with growers days. The one-on-one quieter, deliberate, More in a way I enjoyed. in the car between And my time less guarded. mine alone, so I could think andappointments was music. dreadful and listen to my introspect One has days like this. One has It wasn’t a typical day, but neither was it unique. but neither was day, a typical It wasn’t A

Carnuntum winery amazed—how exactlydoyoubringthisoff? You do kid, butalsonotprecisely likeanadult.Iwatched "player" intheworldofaffairs, notlikesomesilly valid citizen,treated asanequal,spokentolikea so stirringaboutitwasthattheboyanentire milk, thebloodsausagefrom Patrick,andwhatwas (someone), thebutterfrom theguywhodelivers brought backfrom Italy, thebread bakedbyMrs.- the cheesefrom thepalinmountains,ham and tookhisplace.Theytoldhimwhatallofitwas; some food,"andsothekidremoved hishelmet here inafewminutes;comesitwithusandhave at soccerpractice.Bernhardsaid"Marcus willbe have beeneight—lookingforOtt’s sonwhowasstill At onepointalittleboyarrivedonhisbike—hemay be theguywhoalsomadeblood-sausage. does thegrunt-workincellar, outto whoturned who managesthecompostandanotherguy me andhisassistanteventuallyalsotheguy and BernhardsaidYeah, Iguessdo.Itwashimand "You knowwhere eachbitofallthiscomesfrom" village kids,andatonepointsomeoneobserved baked twiceadaybythewomanwhowatches carried backfrom theSüdtirol, andsomebread workers ("Patrick")andsomerawhamBernhard two bigblobsofblood-sausagemadebyonetheir from ahigh-alpinemakerthey knowpersonally, and There washalfofahugewheel ofmountaincheese organic milk:"Didyouthinthiswithwaterorwhat?" supply hadtobesupplementedwithsupermarket cross, covered inlilacsandblood. thought were uptohischest,profuse andfragrant,I place hadbeenallowedtogrow wild,andthelilacs road. ItwasChristonthecross, butthisparticular monuments dottedalloverAustria,outthere bythe sunlit fieldthere wasoneofthemanysmall religious country, thelilacshadstartedtoopen,andinastill me toknow. AsIdrove onthrough thedarkening look. Idon'tknow, andIwishknew. Itwouldhelp so easy. Iwondered ifitwasaseasyhemade had disregarded it.WhatI’djustseenhadlooked like Ihadsomehowmisplacedorlostmylife, I wasalittleweepywhendrove away. Itseemed just likethis. thought—This ishowyouraisewholehumanbeings; minutes orso;hangoutwithuswhileyouwait.I else wouldhebe?Hispalwascomingbackinten included becauseofcoursehe'dbeincluded;what the childwasnotevenexactly"invited”,butrather blackbirds singingandthe evening comingon,and lovely food,beinghumanbeingstogetherwiththe sitting undertheskyinaspringevening,eatingthis I really wasgob-smacked. I mean,there wewere, an imitation-adult,butasaboywithequalstatus. this boyspokebackfrom his rightfulplace,notas among you,eventhoughheisyoungandsmall, it bytalkingtohimasahumanbeingwhobelongs Christ on the This ishowthisdayends,Christonthe 29

Carnuntum winery w you you w taught

sho

become like

weren’t giving. weren’t

enough, all cold- but most of them

ith the entrance of W

it began to change.

attuned, questing.

this will tell you he was this will tell you

for that is unexceptional, and for that is unexceptional,

ask certain questions: How can ask certain questions: How You can always spot such people such spot always can You someone like this, wine isn’t just someone like this, wine isn’t

and delight, it is so dimensional

you to act before they to act before you land? How do I make imprinted land? How

remember? Why do it at all if it remember? a matter of anguish and relief and a matter of anguish and relief do it. And make perfectly decent

with something more than simple with something more

you “learned” and the better you hone you and the better “learned” you

teach human. The more you live with it, the live you The more human.

are; alive, alert, alive, are; And in the end their wines

intuitions.

’re much happier in the vineyards than in than vineyards the in happier much ’re certainly “contemporary” the vineyard. Talk to your land and your vines land and your to your Talk the vineyard. full of life. Surprises are few in the cellar but are full of life. Surprises stainless-steel yada yada,

After all, the cellar is full of machines, but the After

they wave of young vintners, of young wave enough and soon you will know when they answer when they answer will know enough and soon you

lacking animus and soul. t needs a certain a kind of urgency to want drive, I

back. Every grower like grower back. Every

because mystery and frustration as to be virtually need what less you for long you “They wrong. all one began to want something the wines They were fermented were wines one’s to endow The formula competence. lots of C-students can wines that people will be wonderful? For won’t it’s a formula or recipe; your hear and the cellar. is vineyard constant in another certain people wine. But in this I unlock what’s they themselves how to listen.” how e is

new wave wave from from

in this known known cultur It’s too It’s regions regions finding have a have

exposure exposure made far

Germany’s Germany’s to farms fields again. and

came before. came before.

it’s anything but it’s

and not see a single vine, then suddenly be in vineyard land for in vineyard single vine, then suddenly be and not see a

. With for bargains. With the source

attract the usual glom of wine-

th or northwest of Vienna that doesn’t fit in to any other region. You region. other to any in fit doesn’t that Vienna of or northwest th nor

ted maybe 15 years ago, when the first ted maybe 15 years values.

ou know, wine folks descending monolithically wine folks descending monolithically ou know,

ut if I’m honest there’s more to it than even that. to it than even more honest there’s ut if I’m This star B As y V

don’t seem to be much of a pack animal. I tend away don’t

Rheinhessen is known—as the up and coming the known—as is Rheinhessen nonsense notwithstanding. and related DACs region, applied modern methods and growers of young better wines than the innocuous plonk which with repeated was duly paid. But Attention 30

diamonds in the rough. Alas, Austria is a wine a is Austria Alas, rough. the in diamonds The new man alone. ever in which one is hardly have never offering is on the local radar or I’d Dollar in the shithouse, now seemed like a good time to time good a like seemed now shithouse, the in Dollar for prowl I upon a region (for whatever good reason) (for whatever upon a region what we’d call “wine country.” Which is in fact rather Which is country.” call “wine what we’d charming, since it doesn’t people. Thus the a grower. salubrious effect on prices if you’re is a primo Weinviertel quiet what that crowd when I appreciate even the crowd, easy to go to the established It’s toward. crowding a fat wallet. you have if wine excellent find and alone and going somewhere I find I enjoy easy. as is known, Weinviertel The entire of him. but and microclimates, soils, exposures them;good conditionsfavor ines occurwherever can drive a half-hour can drive The “Wine-Quarter” is in fact a disparate region containing more-or-less everything more-or-less containing region is in fact a disparate The “Wine-Quarter” northeast, Weinviertel returning before fifteen minutes

Weinviertel says “1997isr Anita tookher freakin’ mindwithaninsanelyfabulous assumedcontrol ofthewinery Rudi Schwarzböck 10% Riesling,5%Merlot,other grape varieties//50%GrünerVeltliner, 15%Zweigelt,10%GelberMuskateller Hölle top sites&soiltypes//Kirchberg, Sätzen (löss); annual production //15,000cases vineyard area //24hectares Schwarzböck sandstone soils years good because the – I’ll work

y

know whatlives between thetickandtock. ou’d out there. expect the trams to run Some of vineyar

H I

f Idon’t go intodetailaboutvineyard orcellar ones do things a certain way,ones dothingsacertain andI’ll needseveral are loamylöss,withRieslingbeinggrown in of hangin’ outtimewith thesegoodfolksbefore (flysch) it’s notbecauseI’m ofdata,butinstead short agenbrunn is virtually atthecity-lineof isvirtually Viennaagenbrunn

none ofitwouldsurpriseyou. Most ofthereally

covered over with löss.Rudi and Anitaseem ds are on not-insignificant slopes, and most

eally the share ofthereins in2003,andthetwofunctionasa

first vintageIwashappy with,” before proceeding to A ichleiten

Riesling from thatgreat vintage.His wife but ev substance not as done experiencing. knowing in in the worldof Rudi senseto in every His seeming

(flyschgestein withlöss); that itreflects lessahesitancy B

seems just alittlebit ut

en onfirstacquaintanceIsense

creamy asBerger orSetzer; theirsisa more up- from hisfatherin1994,thoughhe

there’s always more

how not unlikeGobelsburg, infact. They’re

todescribethewines? Theirs isasilky diffidence reminds

the

Weinviertel //Hagenbrunn I’m eagertoknow thisguybetter. be atypicalyoung vintner-couple, vines than in the

shy, as if he’s more at information and you’re

than amodesty

seamless team. me of Walter Strub’s,

something more.

tasting room.

blow my

built on

home never 31

Weinviertel Schwarzböck front palate dance. They make a quick and delightful over 14%, but I’ll make a few available to you here and impression. Oh just taste them. The wines are all arch and there, because there’s a difference between my subjective modern but not only arch and modern; there’s an earthy Terry-the-private-citizen palate and my Terry-the-wine- substance to them also, and boy are they good value. merchant palate. There has to be. Even though they I never quite know what I’ll find here. Rudi’s a man overlap 99% of the time, I recognize there are wines I I’d call cautious, as long as you don’t infer I mean “timid.” happen to not like because of some silly subjectivity, and He isn’t. But he wants to be sure his grapes are ripe, and to respect both you and the grower, I’ll put them in the he calculates risks and benefits carefully. This means that offering with a candid tasting note. That said, disagreeable some of his wines are high in alcohol, by my standards, wines almost never make it in, and if they do I’ll tell you and this is because he won’t risk them not being entirely why. physiologically ripe. So I pace around through them and It’s easy for me or anyone else to come along and take the ones that work, and these can differ from year tut-tut over a couple wines that may have gotten away, to year. but you try managing a 23-hectare property with more To continue the digression, I drink very few wines than 50 different parcels, tough guy.

2012 Grüner Veltliner, 1.0L ASB-043L The quality is ridiculous this year! You smell the wine three feet from the glass. Very rich and almost baby-plump; mildly peppery with a tatsoi snap.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Vier Gärten ASB-046 HARD-CORE LIST WINE. It’s a classic light-to-medium bodied GV, with classic arugula and sorrel; the wine is all foreground but what’s there is so pretty. GV at this level can be so winsome, and while it’s likely to be more intense and proud and grand and amazing in its bigger iterations, it’s never more delicious than when it’s just like this.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Sätzen-Fürstenberg ASB-047 A blend of two vineyards from the far northwestern end of the region, some forty miles away, on different soils, more primary rock. And here’s GV at its mineral best; tobacco-y smoky, cressy, garrigue, all kinds of herbs; pointed and focused yet gentle, and in its spicy way quite friendly. Still, this is for GV lovers.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Kirchberg j ASB-048 (Tank-sample, still on its fine lees); almost a Pinot Blanc-like semolina sweetness; green walnut, bright yet rich, not peppery, but more a carpaccio-like umami, sweet and lobster, creamy and stylish. Any idea when you’ll bottle it, I asked? “None. We do slow winemaking!”

2012 Gelber Muskateller ASB-045 He showed me his “regular” one plus another tank that was drier. Normally he’d blend them, but a customer asked for the drier one alone, and I did the same. It’s catty and grassy, with lots of lime and char and almost a GV pepper; bone dry, yet oddly long and spicy. Weinviertel Schwarzböck winery

32 Auersthal isjustbarely beyond Vienna’s northern 2% GelberMuskateller, 8%other 8% Welschriesling, 4%St.Laurent, 3% Weissburgunder, grape varieties//53%GrünerVeltliner, 13%Zweigelt,9%Riesling, top sites&soiltypes//Freiberg CertifiedOrganic certification //Bio-Ernte annual production //16,600cases vineyard area //20hectares H.u.M. Hofer adolescence. can lead to some little oilderricks,but to wine” unless, way, “bio” is pronounced standards above the they belongtoa forgotten orhad comes from these

endur The vineyar I t’s ratherodd e hot summers. In fact Hofer plants his

unlike me,you have leftbehindyour

drollery as you hear referencesdrollery to “B.O.

ds lieinarain-shadow andhave parts, deepbelowparts, thelöss.Ihadeither never known theestatewas organic;

group called Bio-Ernte whichhas

to drive there andseelotsofwee EU guidelines.In speech,by the

such littleoilasAustria produces

to rhyme with “B.O.” which (löss withloam);Kirchlissen (löss withclay)

wines ar organic lovely reds to smoothness with flirt deft and vintages suchas‘08and ‘10 theyare exceptionally intelligence; skin contact, Riesling

suburbs, inadead-stilllittlewinevillage. S The wineshav o, great wine,amazingvalue, andcertified-

viticulture? Help memakethis lovely manastar!

e

in a fog-pocket as hegetsso little rain. The

pressed conventionally (nowhole-cluster)with

even charming. In warm years they can

extravagance. They have akind offirm

they are clearand reasonable. In “normal” that’s coollike marble. There are some

and allwhitesare doneinstainlesssteel. show you. e aquality of moderationand Weinviertel //Auersthal 33

Weinviertel H.u.M. Hofer AHF-057 AHF-053 AHF-059 AHF-055 AHF-058 AHF-054L AHF-056L

34 2009 Gaissberg about read You’ve fungus-resistant. be to bred newwith place, taking is experiment crossings an vineyard single this In many others. An organic are but there and “Monarch,” called “Cabernet Carol” The grapes in this wine are these things. any unnecessary he can avoid where spraying. in varieties is especially interested grower crianza. I Rioja and tasty in the way of a good young “sweet” The palate is spicy, A little new oak does nothing but good. a story. and somms would have was surprised to find it so yummy, 2008 St. Laurent juicy and direct. round, plummy, SL without frills or flourishes; textbook Forthright, I doubt I saw a true sample of this, so I’ll defer a note until I can taste it again. A stubborn reduction taking the form of taking A stubborn reduction defer a note until I can taste it again. I doubt I saw a true so I’ll sample of this, below. what looked like a rich vinous wine a celeriac top-note obscured 2012 Zweigelt, 1.0L 2012 Zweigelt Rosé salty. even Fruit and substance abound; it’s year. the in ‘12, and has the stuffing to make it through good This is markedly CORE CORE fennel-seed crackery this and the more WINE. I waffled between LIST has, but the sheer fruit ‘11, which he still GV. side of vetiver flowering-field into the we’re Now more. it even and bottling will focus over, of this ‘12 won me 2012 Grüner Veltliner Freiberg 2012 Grüner Veltliner j den Rieden Von Veltliner 2012 Grüner wonder if it belongs on the actual core- so consistently good the last few I been years WINE. And it’s LIST HARD-CORE can be. and as spicy and charming as GV parsnip and quince, sweet spriggy, winsome; it’s (13%) yet list. Riper than usual It’s especially peppery and sorrel-y this year. Among the various GV Liters I sell, this is the herbal one, and this bottling is herbal one, and this I sell, this is the GV Liters the various Among especially peppery this year. and sorrel-y It’s fruit. organic purchased hail from later bottlings will this; read as you on the market It’s charming. markedly 2012 Grüner Veltliner, 1.0L Grüner Veltliner, 2012

Weinviertel H.u.M. Hofer lovely taste. they we allare. For wineslikethese,you needtobeableslow down enoughtonoticehow Every hasasleeper, portfolio and thisisthesleeperinmine.It hastodowithhow busy Pinot Blanc,Chardonnay, SauvignonBlanc,ZweigeltandMerlot grape varieties//50%GrünerVeltliner, 30%RoterVeltliner, with20%Riesling, top sites&soiltypes//Laa,Eichholz(lössoveralluvialgravelandlimestone) annual production //16,700cases vineyard area //30hectares Setzer can make reducible wines. I also appreciate because it seems less this virtue Charm canexistinbigwines ormediumwineslittle delighted or charmed. but Ifindnoneoftheseasexquisitely pleasurable asfeeling greater pleasant thanmanyotherfeelingswhichseemtohave a response ofpalpable feel appreciated and cared for. In wineormusicitcreates In ofbehavior peopleitdenotesaneffort most ofushave, toformanimpression. Big tastingsdon’t flatterthem. Andbigtastingsare allthat like bossanova, butyou won’t getthemifyou can’t pause. and more about charm. They’re often wistfulanddreamy, less aboutvolume andmore abouttone,lessforce for being knocked out, blown away, stunned, I feelcharmisamongthehighestaestheticvir B B ut here isaplace Iamashappycanever be. ecause theirstrengths aren’t (often)overt; they’re

prestige. Don’t getmewrong; there’s aplaceinme

to recipe: anygrower ofunexceptionable talent intense wine.I

delight. Ifindthisfeelingmore Also, t seemsmuch more intuitive to

charm is a flexible virtue. charm is a flexible virtue.

whereby you

impr essed, tues. constant the Vienna Symphoniker orchestra. Austria, of nottomentionbeingasort and showing upon manyofthetop to conspicuously successful,exporting the Kremstal oreven theneighboring sheltered Kamptal.Nor doesithave thepure the Heiligenstein, thus essentially different from me Hohenwarth sitsatthesamealtitudeassummit banished tothelowly Weinviertel. Hans pointedout or Gobelsburg) and wondered whyHohenwarth the KamptalandKremstal (15minutesfrom imbuedwith school gradsmaintaining a winery will craft wines wines ever do. wines managedtheirhighalcohol levels aswell assuch clearly thebestamongcollection, andeven thetop Sauvignon hadsnuckin. The mid-weight wineswere flavors asifsome rogue geneof had unusualgooseberry year forthem. The lighter wines,soreliably delightful, June rain at the“bestpossibletime”—it wasanatypical some specialpleasure hormones. drink suchdeliciouswinesallthetime.It’s he lives with, andIthinkit’s bothcivilizing micro-climates orwhathave you. Yet these wines; forallIknow it’s benefit acorollary this. I don’t actually know if he sets out to make delight. Iowe agreat debttoSetzer forhelping which isanaestheticcomponentinItakea song, and purpose.Iwassurprisedhow closethey rock-em while thatyour winewon’t bethebiggest,boldest,loudest

crawl inside a certain temperamentandsingitssirencrawl insideacertain Though theyhadanormalvintage—nolatefr I Though S H

n mybookIspendalotoftimetalkingabout and thisisthepleasure forwhichwe live. ans andUli Setzer are ahusband-wifeteamof

sock-em wineonthetable.But itwillinsinuate, attending

of charm,lessamatterformulathan etzer wasadiscovery forme,theestateis Weinviertel //Hohenwarth to tiny details. And knowing all the

W agram.

wine listsinside three continents house-estate for

and healingto

löss terraces of löss terracesof got torelease are thewines

of hissoils,

“ intelligence intelligence charming”

the more me learn

were to

ost and charm, special Berger Berger

wine-

was was

35 to to of of

Weinviertel Setzer ASZ-058 ASZ-061 ASZ-060 ASZ-062 ASZ-059 ASZ-057 ASZ-054L

C Reserve, 6/750ml A

C A

usstich” D A

36 2011 Zweigelt found unfailingly satisfying and in this wine, which I keep in my cellar each vintage and have Beliver True I am a opened one. delightful every single time I’ve right-bank Claret, It’s Gobelsburger. than, say, less earnestly dusty and it’s Glatzer, grinningly fruity less than, say, It’s cherry-tobacco; and and ripeness cedar and Berries price? at this yet good is this of them I wonder which but round really, to berry then it shifts marmalade, then to dried first finish is that way, a lot of deeply embedded “sweetness”—the dusty, shiitakes and cloves. 2012 Riesling flowers white stone-fruits(ditto); pepper, and lime and Höhereck of bit a and Alzinger) (see Hollerin of bit a me reminds It in dry dramatically a super-pretty tea and verbena, Riesling with hints of tarragon and mirabelle, that grows and green the glass. This ampelographic cousin of GV is named not by the color of the grape skins but by the color of the leaves as the grapes the color of the leaves the color of the grape skins but by not by This ampelographic cousin of GV is named pepper side, herbal and citrus the red side and tamped up the shiitake and roasted tamped down took GV, you ripen. If All the soy here. Mama old. And this is one sexy smell like GV at about ten years which also can Veltliner, get Roter you with a lusty lover a weekend It’s grab and squeeze. could wish you peppers in a zaftig form you and paprika and roasty who likes to laugh. 2012 Roter Veltliner Kreimelberg 2012 Roter Veltliner From a vineyard with especially dense vine-planting, the idea being to stress each individual vine to force its roots to go its roots to force each individual vine stress with especially dense vine-planting, the idea being to a vineyard From deep looking for water. I harmony. its oversized is convinced by Hans should decide. 14.5% alc, just bottled, and and I think you ‘un, a big It’s well- but 2012, large from graceful monsters of a family to belong to and it seems stage, this at goes it as far as too, am tertiary the certain a char a sour before first, at balance achieves finish the shows Even overcooked. proportioned,not and the doubt. this serious talented vintner the benefit of wines, and I give just-bottled big strange from this isn’t and heat. But 2012 Grüner Veltliner “8000” Weinviertel D “8000” Weinviertel 2012 Grüner Veltliner j “Die Lage” 2012 Grüner Veltliner glass; limestone and currant-leaf and the spring from seem to 2012; aromas fine in remarkably is favorite This perennial crusty A sinewy finish, like scallions and boulders! adamantly charred, with an and spicy, solid tortillaeven chips; chewy, and muscular GV. At 12.5% alc it’s a leap up from the light wines, more sweet lentil and green Sencha notes; a pointed yet juicy GV that’s juicy GV that’s yet notes; a pointed Sencha green lentil and sweet the light wines, more a leap up from alc it’s 12.5% At and earthy poise of juiciness focus. classic in the not-peppery with a lovely a pure direction, 2012 Grüner Veltliner “ 2012 Grüner Veltliner Lentilly and fresh, correct and snappy. Am I damning with faint praise? Not when so many wines of this type are either either wines of this type are when so many faint praise? Not Am I damning with and snappy. correct fresh, Lentilly and This is like lime and bananas. so the wine smells fermented ice-cold, with enzymes and or pimped up neutral, insipid, honest everyday GV. 2012 Grüner Veltliner, 1.0L Grüner Veltliner, 2012

Weinviertel Setzer Wagram

The road from Vienna northwest to Krems is probably the only boring country road in all of Austria. It follows the flood plain of the Danube, and is dead-flat. About half way along, you notice little hills to your right about 5 miles in the distance. These are Wagram the löss terraces of the WAGRAM. Nearing Krems, the terraces draw closer and you’re in the Kremstal, while directly ahead the dramatic hills of the Wachau beckon.

The löss hills of the Wagram are said to be unique in facing south, far enough from the river to avoid botrytis Europe for their depth, up to twenty meters (65 feet) in in most years. places.Wagram’s the löss leader har har har. But the sandy- Can you taste it? I can’t, at any rate. I am certain loamy ground is so thick that vintners can dig cellars in it I couldn’t identify any flavor markers for “Wagram” per se. without joists, yet this same soil is amazingly porous. This The wines resemble Kremstal wines to me, at least those is ideal soil for GrüVe, and where it changes to red gravel nearer the Danube and also grown on löss. Still, they had or primary rock the vine changes to Riesling or Sauvignon to call it something, and “Wagram” does sound like one Blanc. Vineyards are mostly on terraces or gentle slopes, of the bad-guys from Lord Of The Rings.

37 Ecker Wagram // Kirchberg-Mitterstockstal

vineyard area // 20 hectares

Wagram annual production // 11,600 cases top sites & soil types // Steinberg (weathered primary rock); Schloßberg, Im Wasn, Mitterberg (löss); Mordthal (löss with high lime content) grape varieties // 50% Grüner Veltliner, 15% Zweigelt, 12% Roter Veltliner, 5% Riesling, 5% St. Laurent, 5% Weißburgunder, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Gelber Muskateller

Please read this slightly loner-than-usual text, because in the course of talking about Ecker Bernhard Ecker and his remarkably lovely wines, I find I need to say something about this “dialect” of wine, and it’s something I think you need to hear, as a counterpoint to what you’re hearing from the naturalistas.

Not an argument against them, but the other side of form of happiness. There is no dichotomy between wines the yin-yang. like these and the special syntax of “natural” wines unless This is “modern” wine at its very best. And I’m we insist there is. And if we do, we’re excluding another willing to understand feeling defensive about deploying valid species of beauty for reasons I don’t think stand up. a word like “modern,” because I agree we should be Either that, or I’m greedy and I don’t want to have to wary; too many times modern wines are simply denuded choose. I want them both. and clinical. Yet we should also be wary of being too I find soul in these wines because something in precious about what we’d call “traditional” wines. It takes a them ignites something in me. I taste plenty of modern, degree of discernment to distinguish their true virtues from competent winethat does the “job” and leaves nothing the ones we ourselves like to make out of their flaws. behind. Not these. Delight lives in these. Clarity I think is I like every single wine I taste here. I like their a positive value. Clear pure fruit and mineral density and exceptional clarity, their incisive detail, their high- thirst-inducing fragrance are all positive values. There’s definition obsessive nuance, their fresh vitality, and most of nothing contrived or plausible about such wines, and even all I love their charm and deliciousness. It’s not the same the phrase “such wines” is misleading because there are sort of charm we see in Setzer, whose wines are more very few such wines. cashmere-textured, but it is something of great good I think it boils down to this: it’s not smart to think humor that elevates the wines from mere correctness. I that only tertiary, vinous wines can ever be “natural” or don’t want all wines to be modern as these are, but I want have animus. They breathe their particular breath, those all MODERN wines to have the animation and soul I taste wines, and I love them just as you do. But I also love the here. primary, because I think it takes a special kind of passion “Soul” may seem like an odd word to use to talk to want the drinker to see virginal fruit and terroir so about cultured-yeast cold-fermented stainless-steel wines, brilliantly. Apart from which, soul is a thing that opens especially if you’re into “natural” wines where you’ve and dilates, and if we ourselves insist that wines like come to equate soul with something else. But soul is more Ecker’s are clinical, then we’re closing off an avenue of complex than that. And it lives where it lives, not where bliss, and our souls are wounded. we assume it lives. Don’t be misled by the paucity of plusses. Every single I sat tasting the 2011s, suffused with pleasure, and one of these wines will offer you such delight as you rarely found myself wondering “Who would reject these wines taste, at astonishingly gentle prices, and they are honest out of hand, on what principle, and to what end?” I felt gleaming thirsty-for-more wines, the kind you can’t acutely sad that a person would exclude himself from this believe the bottle is empty already.

2012 Grüner Veltliner, 1.0L AEC-060L This as always is crisp and more than correct; it’s not quite as extroverted as Schwarzböck’s, though it has a lean length and showed well after the big wines that preceded it.

38 2012 Grüner Veltliner Stockstall AEC-064 Ecker HARD CORE LIST WINE. And an utterly adorable loess GV; sweet semolina, sleek and white-flowery; super clear and crisp; white tea and oatmeal and cream of rice and basmati. I don’t know how a sentient human being resists a wine like this, especially at its price!

2012 Grüner Veltliner Schlossberg AEC-065 Use this to see GV-on-loess in its purest conceivable form.

It’s really solid and earnest this year; smoky char and mineral and Tasmanian pepper; serious like the way your face looks Wagram when you’re trying not to laugh; lentil and fennel-seed and a finish that says “So there!”

2012 Grüner Veltliner Mordthal j AEC-061 Old vines (over 50) from one of the Grand Crus of the Wagram, and this one sees a portion of steamed acacia casks, more neutral but more porous than oak. The alcohol is 14.1% and it’s well poised and stuffed, though I’d say to drink it within two years. A strong terroir statement, this is plum and duck-skin and oleander; chewy texture in a solid and pronounced whomp of vinosity.

2012 Roter Veltliner AEC-063 Wonderfully tasty and juicy and not as musky as it can be; almost like a GV with gravy, but charming like crazy, and with a wee hint of grassiness to give it snap and lift.

2012 Riesling AEC-066 Almost bifurcated: welcoming aromas of pitted-fruit lead into a laughing palate that suddenly clamps down with an almost fiercely dry minerality and a serious abrupt finish. Yet with air it starts to melt in the middle again.

2012 Gelber Muskateller j AEC-062 Muscat for Riesling lovers, it’s so mineral. It’s actually from Schlossberg, which may explain it! The lime and cat are there to start, and then it’s just so stony it’s like you crushed them with an immersion blender. A picture for your Fakebook page; your cat and a bunch of limes in an immersion blender… This is more Calvinist than the `11 was, but also longer and more herbal.

2012 Zweigelt, 1.0L AEC-067L Again completely yummy and more than 1-dimensional; black cherry, cherry-tobacco, roasted red beet, and as always, absurd value.

2011 Zweigelt “Brillant” AEC-057 HARD CORE LIST WINE. This has improved dramatically in the past year. It’s like a mix of Schiava, Lagrein and Syrah, and is generous and rare-meat savory; cloves and shiitakes, spicy and lip-smacking, and a perfect pour; a party you’re glad you were invited to!

2011 Zweigelt “Tradition” AEC-058 Explosive, like a fireworks of blackberries. You get three mouths-full for every sip.

2009 St. Laurent AEC-059 This is purely and simply delicious! Silky, generous and easy-going; blueberry on top and roast beef jus on the bottom.

39 Ott Wagram // Feuersbrunn

vineyard area // 28 hectares Wagram certification // RESPEKT annual production // 25,000 cases top sites // Feuersbrunner Spiegel, Feuresbrunner Rosenberg, Engabrunner Stein soil types // loess, Gföhler gneiss, sand, chalk, and red gravel grape varieties // 90% Grüner Veltliner, 10% Riesling

Bernhard Ott and I have so many friends in common it’s a wonder we haven’t worked

Ott together till now.

Many of you know the estate through the various transit to bio-d at the same time—safety in numbers— importers with whom they used to work, and in one but for various reasons they ended up creating a group of instance (Valley View in California) still do. Certainly the their own, called “RESPEKT.” label is instantly recognizable, as well as being graphically His first vintage was 1993, at the age of 21, but the brilliant. And certainly the wines are outstanding. estate he inherited was already in the green vanguard, Bernhard didn’t have enough wine to start with a new having stopped chemical fertilizers as early as 1971. importer. He’s also a man who lays admirable emphasis on Ott is most renowned for their Veltliners, correctly, doing the Right Thing, and he wanted time to consider it but there’s also a little Sauvignon Blanc and two Rieslings, all, and to part from his existing importers in a decent and one traditionally dry and another made in the German gentlemanly way. Besides, though it felt like we knew each idiom as a lower-alcohol wine with some residual sugar. other based on our many common friends, we’d actually Johannes Leitz has a consulting hand in it. never met. And we needed to see if we were simpatico. One final, grateful word is in order. I had some With Ott you can’t possibly divest the person and the concern that by taking Ott on, I might be creating wines from each other. You represent him as much as you instability in my existing portfolio due to internal do them. competition. So I asked the potentially affected growers This is no small property: 32 hectares plus another to tell me how they felt. To a man, they all gave their 6 ha he buys from another organic grower. Ott, as you blessings. “He’s a friend, we know him, it’d be good for know, is organic, and he also does certain bio-dynamic you both, we think it’slovely...” I was, and remain, very practices though not under the Demeter auspices. A moved by this. number of growers (including Hannes Hirsch) all started And so we begin.

Ott at a glance // Enormously consequential estate, especially as a Lama of Grüner Veltliner.

how the wines taste // Not heavy, but weighty. Not fat, but corpulent. Not creamy, but substantive. Imagine the polar opposite of, say, Nigl. These are analogue and warm-feeling, even when they’re lithe and structured. Quite particular in site delineation, and highly redolent of not only “terroir” but also of landscape.

40 2012 Grüner Veltliner Am Berg AOT-020 Ott CORE LIST WINE. It’s the lead-in, whole-cluster pressed, detailed and filigree. This `12 has sorrel, lentil and oyster shell among its nuances, plus a lot of mineral grip; a subtle fennel-seed anise note. Bernhard chuckled when I said it had five pounds of flavor in a 2-pound bag.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Fass 4” AOT-021 Ott intends the Am Berg to be drunk with food, but this is the first in the range that could stand alone. It’s the 25th

vintage, and quite a chunky rock-powder GV, compact and chewy yet generous and almost briny, and as starchy as pasta- Wagram water.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Der Ott” AOT-023 Young vines from the Grand Crus. We get into spices and roasted peppers now; less mineral and more savor, and also more exotic and analogue. Two weeks in bottle has probably subdued the outward drama, because length is there in spades.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Spiegel j ( j ) AOT-025 The highest elevation among Ott’s three Grand Crus, thus the coolest and breeziest; the soil is gravel over conglomerates. There’s such expressive mineral it’s as though the terroir were broiled, below which is a mushroom-stocky savor, but mineral blasts through again, and then you get grilled eggplants and then powdered rock blown on a cold wind and then sweet corn and oleander—a completely paradoxical and amazing creature that sets up camp on your soft-palate and will not leave.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Stein j j AOT-026 This site is actually in the Kamptal. The subsoil is the so-called Gföhler gneiss (such as is in the Gaisberg, for example) with a sandy-loessy topsoil. Bernhard leased the vineyard in 2006, as part of a growth phase. The owner watched him working in the vineyard, and was so impressed by the way he cared for the soil, she offered to sell it to him for “any price you want to pay.” I heard that story and felt a flash of tears. This is more of-a-piece than the Spiegel—but what a piece, a potion of terroir with the saltiest savor you can imagine. If you could sous-vide a Wellfleet oyster you might get this; amazing brininess for something so corpulent and generous. Day-long finish. I don’t do SOMM ALERTS in this catalogue, but this is about as perfect a restaurant GV as can possibly be imagined.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Rosenberg j j AOT-024 Among Austria’s iconic Grüner Veltliners, and singular in style, which is to say it is not classical, but reminds me of some lovely odd hybrid of GV and Cotat Sancerre. This ‘12 shows the most raw power of the range, but a second wave of mineral arrives; the site seems to be about roasted beets and currants, then boxwood and pepper, Thai basil and arugula, cardamom and allspice. In 2011 its sheer gravitas was needed to deepen that vintage’s omnipresent chumminess, but in ‘12 it takes its place among equals of superb stature, the yang to the yin of the Stein.

41 Kremstal & Kamptal

These two regions used to make up one region called Gaisberg from Schloss Gobelsburg, Ludwig Hiedler and Kamptal Donauland—but no more. I’m sure someone had Johannes Hirsch. That might look redundant, but these a very good reason for the change! The regions are now are two sites equivalent to Chambertin and Clos de Bèze named for the particular valleys of the little streams Krems and if you had three suppliers with parcels in both sites, and Kamp, and I’ll just obediently organize them that way. you wouldn’t offer them? C’mon now! Austria’s best values are coming from the Kamp and These are the preeminent Riesling Grand Crus of Kremstals. This doesn’t mean the cheapest wines; it means Kremstal & Kamptal the lowest available prices for stellar wines. Austria is often paradoxical in that the more you pay the better the value, e.g., the top Kremstal/Kamptal Grüner Veltliners seem to provide more quality than any other white wine the same money would buy. This may be partly due to the giant shadow cast by the neighboring Wachau, and the determination of the best Kampers and Kremsers to strut their stuff. For the price of really middling Federspiel from a “name” estate in theWachau you can get nearly stellar quality in Kammern or Langenlois, and the absolute best from a Nigl or a Gobelsburg is substantially less expensive than their Wachau counterparts. And, every single bit as good. Other than the profound individuality of certain sites (Heiligenstein comes first to mind) there’s little of the Kamptal, and they stand among the greatest land on regional “style” to distinguish these wines from Wachau earth in which Riesling is planted. They’re contiguous wines. In fact Willi Bründlmayer told me all three regions hillsides, each the lower slopes of the Mannhart-hills, but were once one big region called WACHAU. Ludwig they’re dissimilar in crucial ways. Heiligenstein is higher and broader-shouldered (thanks to Peter Schleimer for Hiedler points out Langenlois is warmer than anywhere that image), and probably just the slightest bit warmer. Soils in the Wachau, and he believes his wines need even more differ also—Gaisberg is crystalline, a soil type the Austrians time than theirs do. call “Gföhler Gneiss” which you’ll hear the Wachauers talk I had a rather subversive conversation with a Kremstal about also. It’s granitic in origin, containing the so-called grower one year, as part of our mutual lamenting of the Glimmerschiefer (“gleaming slate”) which is essentially “DAC” sillyness. He said “I’m not really all that sure why we fractured granite or schist containing little flecks of silica or need all these regions at all; Kremstal, Kamptal, Traisental, mica which sparkle in the sun. Wagram... are they really so different?” Well wow. I don’t Gaisberg is the type of site wherein Riesling feels often hear growers speaking so blasphemously. It sort of inherent, as if neither culminates without the voice of made my mind reel. You know, I said, even the Kremstal is the other. It gives highly Rieslingy Rieslings. Slim in body, senseless as a single region; the valley itself is one thing but it’s brilliant in berried and mineral nuance, on the “cool” side very different from the löss terraces along the Danube in terms of the spectrum. of exposure and microclimate, to which he agreed. You can Heiligenstein’s soil is said to be unique; so-called make a case for the Wachau between Dürnstein and Spitz, Zöbinger Perm, a sedimentary sandstone- conglomerate i.e., the gorge, because that area has singular characteristics. from the late Paleozoic Age, also containing fine sand and But I’m not entirely sure how the consumer benefits from gleaming slatey clays. The site is too steep to have collected having so many different regions whose wines aren’t that löss. The wines of this astounding vineyard are clearly different from one another. I rather think these things are profound, though more “difficult” and temperamental done by bureaucrats and marketing folks, because they get than Gaisberg’s. Great Heiligenstein contains an a kick out of categorizing. Yet a true breakdown of these improbable conciliation of ostensibly disparate elements: places based on soil, exposure and microclimate would citrus-tart against citrus-sweet (lime against papaya), look very different than the currently demarcated regions. herbal against pitted fruit (woodruff against nectarine), cool against warm (green tea against roasted beets). The Notes on Gaisberg and Heiligenstein wines are more capacious than Gaisberg’s, yet not as entirely brilliant; they have more stomach, they are tenors We get to see Heiligenstein from Bründlmayer, and or altos when Gaisberg are sopranos. then we'll consider it again along with its next-door neighbor Which is the better vineyard, you ask? Yes, I answer.

42 Berger Kremstal // Gedersdorf vineyard area // 18 hectares annual production // 20,000 cases top sites & soil types // Gebling (löss and gravelly löss); Steingraben (clay-marl-löss rock); Leithen (löss and rock); Haid (deep brown earth)

grape varieties // 70% Grüner Veltliner, 15% Zweigelt, 9% Riesling, Berger 5% Chardonnay, Malvasier, Cabernet Franc and Welschriesling, 1% Gelber Muskateller

Berger’s GrüVe liter is the wine we sell the most of, and at this point it could almost coast. Almost. Kremstal & Kamptal Kremstal

But the crucial tiny membrane between almost and I suddenly remembered a thing I hadn’t thought of never is something I never need to worry about. Erich in years. Once I was at a carwash that did some detailing won’t forget it. It isn’t in his makeup. I can see each year of the outsides and insides, and as I was waiting for how serious he is to ensure this wine is still performing my decidedly cheap-ass car, I observed all the very nice for me. I mean, it’s a modest wine he can’t make more expensive cars the guys were working on. But they took than pennies on, yet he cares about it because he’s made the same care with my funky beat up Accord hatchback as of caring. I’m moved by the humble decency of taking they did with the Caddies and BMWs, and I was extremely care that this little wine is still good, is always still good. It impressed. “Thanks for respecting even my crappy car,” I takes just as much caring as it does to ensure a great wine said. “Just doin’ it right,” they said. is indeed great. But the difference is that everyone notices That’s it: just doin’ it right. the great wines; you get trophies and awards and 'tout le So while I am very proud and happy to offer and monde' wants to buy you a beer. Here your caring goes sell this Liter wine, I have to wonder why so few of its un-remarked upon. customers are curious to see what else Erich can do. “If

43 this wine is this good then how must the better wines be? And I would stake this claim; if you buy wine for They don’t cost all that much more…” practical reasons, not simply to have “nothing but I wrote in some detail about Erich in my book, because 90+!!” on your shelves or wine-list, you must pay attention his choices fascinate me. In short, I’m sure we’d agree that to the quality, the loveliness of the flavors of the wines ambition is what drives the quality-minded vintner. He you choose. Any clod can buy and sell BIG-ASS wines. wants to make exciting wines that get attention. But what Show reserves, wines for the tasting room. I want to drives the vintner who just wants to make delicious wines sell you wines for FOOD and LIFE. Berger’s wines are that make people happy? That’s what I don’t understand. delightful and affordable. ‘Nuff said?

2012 Grüner Veltliner, 1.0L ABG-128L Kremstal & Kamptal CORE LIST WINE. This year’s Liter is cressy and stern; it has attitude. Seems drier than other vintages; it’s juicy but in place of the semolina charms it usually presents, this one has A Point To Make.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “White Stone” ABG-131 HARD-CORE LIST WINE. It’s amazingly focused and charming in 2012, the “sweet” face of GV, full of good-nature; parsnips and lentil and fresh sweet crayfish; the palate has charm and snap, like a mesclun mix of greens; good length and a spicy finish; the empty glass smells like mizuna.

Berger 2012 Grüner Veltliner Lössterrassen j ABG-132 This is magnetically pretty and charming, with tons of spontaneous yum-factor; he sold a pallet in a single week to casual weekend visitors, and you’ll see why with the first sip. It’s a perfect loess GV, Berger at his vamping best, and a wine that goes from cookie-dough to strawberry to pepper in one elegant palate journey.

2012 Gelber Muskateller ABG-127 As always this is a highlight among the vintage Muscats; full of elderflower aroma but then full-on green on the palate, though this one’s fleshier than many, and shows a complex spice, herbal tang, pine-forest, and delicate mint.

2012 Riesling Spiegel j ABG-130 HARD-CORE LIST WINE. Usually this is the cool little Riesling to lead us into the big sexy Steingraben, but in ‘12 even this wee chap has 13% alc, and it’s a spiffy and deft balancing act between cool, shady mineral and non-effusive fruit, and a determined (if not outright forceful) approach; some apricot, some grainy-nubby loess minerality, wonderful length; a calmly thoughtful yet generous and expressive dry Riesling.

2012 Riesling Steingraben Kremstal DAC Reserve j ( j ) ABG-129 This is exotic and seductive; dried fruits, meyer-lemon, roasted yellow sweet peppers, even brioche; wow, it does smell like certain Champagnes, but then there’s a nettle-and-spice element that’s pure Austria. Zero botrytis and reasonable alc, and a lot of wiggle, plus it’s a ton of mojo for an ounce of money.

2011 Zweigelt, 1.0L ABG-126L A plummy cool Dolcetto, basically. Which of course you can't actually get from Dolcetto anymore. A shade-cool, berried interluded between the meaty-roasty '09 and '11. It has all the single-vineyard wines (Haid and Leithen) this year, so it's an overachiever and a bargain.

2011 Blauer Zweigelt Haid ABG-133 A charming, bacony wine with “sweet” tannin, darkly concentrated fruit, and pancetta-richness.

44 Nigl Kremstal // Priel

vineyard area // 25 hectares annual production // 25,000 - 30,000 cases top sites & soil types // Senftenberger Pellingen, Hochäcker (mica slate, slate) grape varieties // 40% Grüner Veltliner, 40% Riesling, 5% Sauvignon Blanc, Nigl 5% Gelber Muskateller, 10% other varieties

You’d expect these wines to come from a bespeckled gentleman with finely chiseled features, who speaks deliberately and cultivates a side study of medieval jurisprudence. That, or some sort of monk-savant. Kremstal & Kamptal Kremstal

But no, these almost eerily searching wines hail from that what they need is time, ambience, and food. a hearty unpretentious country fella. When you meet Not because they are imbalanced (the usual bromide for Ludwig Hiedler you feel a total unity between human and crummy wine is “Oh it needs food,” to which the only wine, but with Nigl all you can feel is perplexity. proper response is “No, it needs to be better wine.”) but It is tempting to see Nigl’s wines as objects to be because they exist in the sensual world, and they are more examined, because they are so digitally precise that useful than we think. attending to them in minute detail seems like the most A ’97 Riesling Privat I drank a few weeks ago was both appropriate response. People who enjoy High-Def explicit breathtaking and superb with the greeny-salady dish on complexity are made ecstatic with these pixilated and the table. At Nigl’s own restaurant—very good these eerily expressive wines. As am I. days, by the way—I have not once felt the wines were But lately I have been making myself drink them just too refined, at least not formy schnitzel. I do think they as though they were ordinary beverages, because I want favor fine food, as they themselves are cut fine and not to see what kinds of lives they live when they’re not wine- robust. I do think they tend to run cerebral, and are best specimens we examine delightedly. And I’ve discovered suited to occasions where they can receive your absorbed

Nigl at a glance // No one would deny this estate’s inclusion among the absolute elite in Austria, and many observers wonder if there’s anyone finer. Extraordinarily transparent, filigree, crystalline, mineral-drenched wines of mind-boggling clarity. Prices remarkably sane for world-class great Rieslings (compare to the best in Alsace!)

45 attention. I do like them best in warmer weather, because temperature- controlled tanks. He doesn’t chaptalize and their ultraviolet coolness is refreshing. his musts settle by gravity; after fermentation the wines are Theirs is a penumbral or spectral sort of beauty, racked twice, never fined, and bottled—as I once saw— around the edges of which is something invisible, like first thing in the morning while they and the ambient radio waves, the vinous equivalent of molecular cuisine; temperatures are cool. What he gets for his troubles are you feel neural pathways firing as you taste them. But in wines with a high, keening brilliance and with an amazing his own establishment the food is what I’d call country- density of mineral extract which can leave an almost salty traditional with unusual respect for ingredients and finish on the palate, as though an actual mineral residue everything from scratch. It was dysphasic drinking these were left there. keen ultraviolet wines with a big ol’ plate of noodles with Other than the couple standbys at the low end of morels and sweetbreads, but it showed me something. As the range, I’m finding I can’t predict how Martin’s wines otherworldly as they sometimes can appear, with food will be until I taste them. It’s because he is convinced he

Kremstal & Kamptal they snuggle right up as all good wines do. has to have physiologically ripe fruit, and when he gets it The Krems valley has a climate rather like that his wines can screech into the red zone alcoholically. He’s of the western Wachau. “During the ripening season also willing to admit a small amount of botrytis into the we get oxygen-rich, cool breezes in the valley,” says the mix. It can seem odd, given how ice-clear and detailed his Nigl price list. “Therefore we have wide temperature wines can be, but then I remember it’s a similar situation spreads between day and night, as well as high humidity at Hirtzberger; a relatively cool microclimate, a natural and often morning fog. These give our wines their tendency toward wines of finesse and high fragrance, but spiciness and finesse. Another secret for the locally an almost perverse allowance of overripeness and botrytis typical bouquets and the elegant acids of our wines is the in some wines. However, in common with most of 2012, weathered urgestein soils, which warm quickly.” Nigl’s Rieslings were more moderate and refined than his Only natural yeasts are used to ferment in GVs – with one marked exception…

Nigl

2012 Grüner Veltliner Freiheit AFN-209 CORE-LIST WINE. And right down the middle; like the ‘07 was, not as plump as ‘06 or ‘09 nor as lean as ‘08 or ‘11. The perfect loess GV in miniature, like a bonsai of GV, each leaf clear and each branch outlined in high relief.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Senftenberger Piri j AFN-217 Has its lovely leafy fragrance, as sapid as a Styrian wine; the palate is stern and salty-smoky; boxwood and mizuna, yet also charming and long and full of piney nuance.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Rehberger Zwetl j j AFN-219 Martin obtained this vineyard in 1999, but opted to replant as the vines were unwell; this is the first crop from now-5-year old vines. The site is mica-schist with loessy topsoil, quite different from his other sites. So! It’s actually quite Riesling-like, reminded me of Gaisberg in its white flowers and blueberry and enormous yet differentiated mineral; it’s radiant and hale yet amazingly articulate and intricate. More “feminine” than his other GVs, and for me it’s his best 2012 GV and a vintage standout.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben j AFN-218 A big wine to drink young while it has the fat to mitigate its 14% alc, and also enjoy its gorgeous primary aromas of cookie-dough and flavors of “secret” sweetness; peppery finish to a loessy GV at an apex of charm and grace—for the next 18-24 months.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Privat” Senftenberger Pellingen, 6/750ml ( j ) AFN-216 2012 Grüner Veltliner “Privat” Senftenberger Pellingen, 12/375ml ( j ) AFN-216H 2012 Grüner Veltliner “Privat” Senftenberger Pellingen, 3/1.5L ( j ) AFN-216M More Veltliner ordnance, 14.5% this time, but it’s creamy and exotic, neither vulgar nor bellicose; just massively salty and Sarawak-peppery with a stern buzzing finish that stops just short of the doorway to heat. Cask-sample, by the way, so it may seem less creamy in bottle.

46 2012 Riesling Dornleiten AFN-210 CORE-LIST WINE. The best vintage in many years; a pretty, demure and rosy-cheeked Riesling; medium-bodied (12.5%), and all tactful and inferential, and delightful. Has that savor and cool green sapidity again, that made me think of Styria, yet it’s markedly long.

2012 Riesling Senftenberger Piri j AFN-214 Another wine that seems oblique, as though it were looking at you from the corner of its eye, but there’s HD-pixilation of Nigl glass-clear terroir; smoke and mint and pea-shoots; a remarkable dance of eerie polish and ice-splashes of mint.

2012 Riesling Hochäcker, 6/750ml j j ( j ) AFN-223 Mineral leads the way, with white hyacinth and soursop (see Wikipedia if you don’t know this fruit); the palate is a witches-brew of spices and rocks and miso; like a dance of 1000 veils as the exotic fruits and leaves fall away and the arcane mineral starts to pulsate. Absurdly animated yet not at all hyper. Classic great Austrian Riesling, like none other in the world.

2012 Riesling “Privat” Senftenberger Pellingen, 6/750ml j j AFN-215

2012 Riesling “Privat” Senftenberger Pellingen, 12/375ml j j AFN-215H & Kamptal Kremstal 2012 Riesling “Privat” Senftenberger Pellingen, 3/1.5L j j AFN-215M Still in a mute phase from bottling, and people who saw it in cask tell me I’m underrating it. But: plums, charcoal, compound-butter, mint and pepper are present; such an expressive mass it can only stammer now, like an explosion from a soundproofed room. More raw power and less exotic than Hochäcker.

2012 Gelber Muskateller AFN-226 Perfect expressive aromas in a gooseberry and resinous profile; the palate follows with a stirring bite of freshness and citricity. It would actually quench thirst.

2012 Sauvignon Blanc j AFN-227 As good as this grape can be in its most direct and forthright side; astoundingly mineral, currant-leaf; almost no pyrene stink nor any vegetal pepper; just a Riesling-like saltiness and flint and a fine leafy bite on the fresh breezy finish, resolving into quince. You better believe I’m buyin’ me some for the private stash.

2012 Zweigelt Rosé AFN-211 Dee-lish; vinous, good color; solid and fruit-driven without being exactly “fruity.” Bravo to Martin for making a year- round Rosé, resisting the trend of frail wines that expire by September.

2010 Nigl Brut de Brut Rosé (Sekt), 6/750ml AFN-212 All 2010; moderate color of Coho salmon; super-attractive “cool” aromas, and a vividly bright, refreshing palate; perfect hot-weather fizz, sleek and snappy.

2010 Nigl Brut de Brut (Sekt), 6/750ml j ( j ) AFN-220 70% Chardonnay, 30% Grüner Veltliner. I swear he said he was discontinuing this, yet here it still is. 100% Chardonnay— I asked for “Blanc de Blancs” on the label. Zero dosage. Most of it is still en tirage, but I’m grabbing a bunch because it’s so damn good; grown on limestone, it’s a crackery and addictively gulpable fizz; not “simple,” just straightforward and tasty.

47 Some Thoughts on Profundity

We are not all equally sensitive to the profound. or intensity. It is instead the columns of the It’s facile to blame the byte-culture for inhibiting monument that houses our souls. It is the carbon this ability, but in fact I doubt it’s an “ability” at all; dating of our abiding authenticity, the thing we it’s simply an aspect of temperament. Some of inhabit for a while, that stretches away from our you possess it, and yet I wonder whether there’s particular temporal lives. something in the syntax of modern life that obscures your view of it. I don’t know. By now you’re ready to give up; what is this crazy asshole talking about? In a nutshell: it is possible for I do know that profundity takes time, a willingness wine to be profound. When you encounter one such

Kremstal & Kamptal to give time, an ability to slow time down, and some wine, you will find yourself stilled in a crucial way, sense of the way time passes at different speeds. provided you hear the signal through the noises of I look at the world and it seems like we’re very busy living, and provided you’ve been reassured that such compressing time into little capsules of reality; an experience is normal, if rare. we swallow them one after another. We expel them one after another. Even if you happen to be someone Don’t imagine it happens very often. Even if you’re who might respond to the profound, how does it find one of those collector guys with a cellar full of its way into you through the incessant chatter? masterpieces, if you drink them too often you can get jaded, and numb away the heart and soul When we are visited by profundity, we seem to feel nutrition. I’ll share a note I wrote a few months ago, a silence, we seem to watch the world dissolve. about a wine I knew would be good, maybe even I don’t think this is consonant with irony or attitude, great, but did not know would be profound. and if these things are important to you, I fear you might defend them, and push away the profound. It was a classic Riesling from the Rheingau, from an But again, I don’t know. estate that was stellar when it made this wine.

When I began with wine there was a lot of literature First, it was a good bottle. The cork came out in describing raptures with profound wines. I saw it as pieces, but came out, and the wine was entirely permission; it was fine to respond powerfully when a clean. We drank it at cellar-temp, about 54º. wine was powerfully beautiful. Quite a relief for a guy like me. Today as I scan around the wine-lit, I don’t The first glass poured was a solid heady amber, see very much writing about the larger values. I see and a little cloudy. That was fine. With wines of this people trying to be the first to break the news about age, you know they freshen in the glass, and the first some Viognier from Tobago, I see people asserting impression is just the outermost layer of skin. their points of view about the issues of the day, The cloudiness was probably just the dissolved I see plenty of consumerist rankings of wines, but I tartrates mixing through the wine. see very little revelation, or even just passion. Thus I suspect you’re not seeing it either, and that may be So, bricky spice aromas breathe into low notes of a reason you don’t associate wine with the potential leaf-smoke, sweet paprika and malt. The palate for transcendence. was (still, after quite some time) rich and sweet, but in a minute it became overwhelmingly estery, The problem is, if this deepest piece is missing, with Palo Cortado orange-peel and nuttiness. then all the other pieces that balance on it are The wine was berserk with intricacy and beaming unstable and wobbly. Without some organizing with confidence—it wasn't broody or meditative. principle, wine becomes just another ephemeral and Then came a milk-chocolate note like the ones old incoherent thing. When the foundation is missing, Champagnes are wont to show. This wine was solid any little wind can blow the house away. and stentorian, yet part of it was melting, or seemed to want to. Obviously not all wine is profound, but just as obviously a few of them are, and when we know But that's OK; I'd melt for us both. I took the glass these wines exist, their existence gives form outside into the cold, under a cloud-riven moon, and layers to our entire wine experience. and there came a celestial fragrance of lime parfait, Please remember, though, that profundity is the a new green note, and the green swoons into the opposite of cerebral, the opposite of “exciting,” orange swooning into the paprika rust swooning the opposite of entertaining by dint of its novelty into the sweet vigor of an old gentleman who hasn't

48 life. Sometimes you’re justthinkingaboutlife. “item” inyourglass.You’re thinkingaboutyourlife. Right awayyoufindyou’re notthinkingaboutthe First, thewinepushesyou away from itself. amazing, orstellar? or distinguishitfrom themerely remarkable, you know?Howdorecognize theprofound, Finally, thisisallwellandgood,buthowdo taught howtoread andrecognize profundity. reason wefailedtosuss’03isbecauseweren’t segment ofprofound ones.AndIthinkpartofthe great 2003s–notallofthem,certainly, butthatsmall But Ididseethelaughablewaywemisjudged sweet andflabby;Idon’t know, Iwasn’t there. enough acidity. Maybetheyoungwinesseemed came alongtodaywe’dfussthatitdoesn’t have thing’s onfire.” 1959wassuchavintage,yetifit to “select”getgreat wine,butwhenthewhole the wholefloorseemstorise,whenyoudon’t have told me“You knowwhenavintageisgreat when knew. Itwasclearinthevineyards; agrower once great. We’d busilyexplainit.Inthosedays,theyjust wine oravintagemightbeconsidered excellentor extracts, andlookingforreasons on-paperwhya These dayswe’dbemicro-analyzing theacidsand kindergarten classwhenthosegrapeswere picked. Schloss Reinhartshausen.IwasinMissNordeen's 1959 HattenheimerStabelSpätlese.Estate-bottled peak around age70.Ipaid$140forit. years. It'saSpätlesefrom agreat vintagethatwill It's afull-grown adult.Itcaneasilygoanother15-20 pealing bells. shimmers attheedgeslikeovertonesof dried apricotofHattenheim.The"old"winething a riverfront RheingauRiesling withtheclassic And yet!It'sstillitself,orratherhe'shimself, over gorgeousnesssprinkleddeath. an achingdarkzenithofloveliness,maltsprinkled malty, andfeltlesssweet.Itistrulygreat wine, the tempabit—andwasevenmore esteryand The secondglasswascolder—I'dwantedtolower nearly tragic;it'sflourishingandhale. grieving lovedonesatthebedside.Butwineisn't the thingsonesayswithfinalbreaths andthe and difficulty. Theforce ofexpression feltcrucial, lost astep,whoiswritinganepicpoemofbeauty

for appearing,andshowingthewaytosky. the innocentbottle,andnodasmallthanks, That isthestoryyouneedtotell,sopeerbackat of heightandfallingbacktogravityearth. into theair. You writetheview, andthesense to Because onethingaprofound winealwaysdoesis way Ifolloweditscurrent andwrote whatitwanted. claim awineisprofound, butjustbecauseofthe The noteswilltellyou.NotbecauseIexplicitly Maybe; it’s toosoontosay. There are candidates. Are there “profound” winesinthisoffering? question that’s beennaggingyou. than youknewhad,anddoingso,willsettlea takes alittlefaith.Butyouwillquenchdeeperthirst insecure, andmakeswinecacophonous.Itonly on topofit.Butnotknowingit’s there makesyou that it’s there helpsyouorganizeeverythingelse Such knowledgebecomesgrounding, andknowing that youwon’t repel themwhentheyshowup. you willgrope forthem—thatdoesn’t work—butso I wantyoutoknowthatthesestatesare there, notso so muchdross. reality, thatwhatyouthoughtwas“yourlife”isonly that now, thisminute,youare inthecountryof You mayalsofeel,fleetinglybutpowerfully, squandered. uneasy senseofsomethinghavingbeenwasted, sadness oftenwalkarminarm.You haveavague If you’re atalllikeme,youfeel oddlysad.Beautyand to fartaround withdescriptors. poems, orjustlookoutatthemoon.You don’t want someone tohug.You wanttohearmusic,orread it seemsirrelevant. You’re toobusylookingfor not becauseit’s actuallydifficult,butbecause Then, youfindithard tobreak downtheflavors, your imagination and hurl it a thousand feet seize yourimaginationandhurlitathousandfeet

49

Kremstal & Kamptal Bründlmayer Kamptal // Langenlois

vineyard area // 80 hectares annual production // 33,000 cases certification // ISO 22000 Sustainable top sites & soil types // Berg Vogelsang, Loiser Berg, Steinmassel (primary rock); Käferberg (marine sediments on primary rock); Heiligenstein (Permian rock); Lamm (Loam on Permian rock) grape varieties // 38% Grüner Veltliner, 19% Riesling, 43% Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Chardonnay and other varieties. Kremstal & Kamptal Apropos profundity, Willi brought along a majestic 1992 Lamm GV to lunch, and the wine clashed gorgeously against the Springtime alfresco vibe, the yumminess of the fried chicken I ordered, the chance to hang out and talk with him and his wife Edwige, not to mention the blossoms and the birds. The wine kept pulling me inside and the occasion kept pushing me out into the bright cool Spring day.

Bründlmayer I often talk about things like “class” and “timbre” think if you put these things together you arrive at elegance, when I write about Bründlmayer. Class is indefinable. It which is another wine-word you can’t deconstruct. When bears upon a certain simplicity, but it isn’t simple. It feels you taste them, you’ll find you respond from the richest effortless but it isn’t. It’s richly satisfying but it’s hard to aspect of your temperament, or else you’ll barely respond say why. It may seem to have little to do with the reasons at all. These wines won’t put on a show for you, but they you buy this wine and not the other one, or with what will deliver a calm grace and a genial loveliness. you choose to drink, but at last you stumble upon it and Though Bründlmayer is by far the largest estate I find you can’t resist any more. Class will give you pleasure represent—at a whopping 80 hectares, I find it lovely that deeper than joy or amusement. we still taste in the cozy little tasting room. I’m sure there’s Timbre is the way an instrument sounds, or more somewhere in the vast Willi-nexus where delegations accurately, the way a given player makes it sound. The are entertained, but we still taste in this small room great players seem to release an almost fluid sonorousness off the equally unassuming winery on a quiet Gasse in from an instrument. It purrs for them. I often receive this Langenlois. It’s nice, and familiar. image spontaneously when I taste Willi’s wines. And I I’m also impressed by Willi’s decision to hold his

Bründlmayer at a glance // Generally considered Austria’s best winery, based on steadily outstanding wines across the entire range. I’ll confess it’s gotten harder, not easier, to sum this up over the 16 years I’ve been visiting here. In each of the last two vintages the texture of Willi’s wines has changed. Lately they’re showing the calm zen demeanor of Alzinger’s wines. Perhaps less explicitly articulate, yet somehow more kind. I don’t think it’s on purpose, or at least, it may be a collateral effect of something else he set out to do. Willi is remarkably willing to let the wines control their own destinies. In many vintages, one or another of them will escape, such as the insanely peppery ’09 Vogelsang GrüVe. I can hear him say “We don’t seek to shape it; the wine follows its own preferences.”Willi refers to me as a “classicist,” because he notices how I wince at certain extremes, of alcohol perhaps, or botrytis. He in turn is admirably willing to love a wine even if it’s what I might call ornery. His sparkling wine is the nearest thing to Champagne of anything that isn’t Champagne, yet it doesn’t imitate Champagne and only tastes a little like it. His reds are strikingly fragrant, but he seems to prefer them cool, sometimes to a point I perceive as stiff. But this is how he wishes them, lean and stretchy and sinewy. It is very good of him to tolerate my being selective among them. I’d call Willi’s wines sophisticated and civilized, as long as you know these aren’t euphemisms for diffidence. The best ones taste as though they were fond of you.

how the wines taste // The wines are quite unlike any wines I know, not in their actual flavors, but rather the way flavors are presented to the palate. They are, it might be said, the Stradivarius of wines, distinguishable (and made precious) by the beauty of their tones. Indeed, I always seem to think in sonorous terms for Willi’s wines: “THE ACOUSTICS of the fruit are perfect,” I wrote at one point. You taste class immediately.

50 biggest wines back from release until he feels they’re more (no chemical fertilizers, herbicides and chemical ready, a principled choice with financial consequences, sprays).” Bründlmayer neither crushes nor pumps 90% that only a market “leader” could make. But our of his musts; the other 10% is macerated overnight and thoughtful and charming friend is deceptively mild in crushed to emphasize varietality. Nor is this formulaic; it his social persona. Beneath the surface lies courage and a adapts from year to year. bedrock integrity. Bründlmayer is universally revered and respected. When I grow up I want to be like Willi, so Partly it’s the wines, of course, their outstanding success in serene, thoughtful and wry, but stern as iron about his a variety of idioms over so many years. It’s also because of core principles. He’s one of the best people you could Willi himself, who combines a piercing intellect with such meet. He’s sharp as a tack, quick as a whip, cute as a halcyon demeanor you can’t help but be fond of him. button and very alert. He follows a conversation with his I also think Willi’s wines are changing somewhat from Bründlmayer gaze, absolutely interested and ever curious. One wag of the time I first encountered them, or perhaps it is I who a journalist dubbed him the “Wine Professor” because have changed. They are like an extremely good-looking of his thoughtful mien, but these wines, serious as they woman (or man!) who wears very understated clothes. They are, come from someone who knows WIT—and how to are almost completely without affect, but with great candor brandish it! and transparency. I also appreciate the willingness to risk, Soils are rocky and dry in the hills, fertile and even when I’m unconvinced by the results. I’m sure Willi calcareous in the lower areas. That’s according to Willi’s would say “It keeps things interesting.” estate brochure, from which I’ll quote a little. There are a lot of wines, but there are a lot of back-

“All different wines are aged by the classical vintages, which is exceedingly rare in Austria, and I join & Kamptal Kremstal method in oak and acacia casks in deep vaulted cellars. Willi in our quixotically doomed attempt to wean buyers In the vineyards the family apply organic principles away from latest-vintage mania.

Grüner Veltliners

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Kamptaler Terrassen” j ABY-279 CORE-LIST WINE. The best vintage since the wonderful 2009, with that sweet graininess and flowering field, plus the richness of ’12, and the sheer intelligence and sophistication of these wines.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Berg Vogelsang ABY-297 2012 Grüner Veltliner Berg Vogelsang, 12/375ml ABY-297H Classy mid-weight GV (12.5%). The big Zalto glass pushes the peppery spice at you, but the classic Riedel tulip shows the superfine fruit. Mannerly and serene; less adamant than it sometimes is. Still, in essence Vogelsang is about nettles and rock-dust.

2011 Grüner Veltliner “Alte Reben,” 6/750ml j ABY-260 2007 Grüner Veltliner “Alte Reben,” 6/750ml j j ABY-259 When this is good it’s really good, and the 2011 has wonderful grip and elegance for “big” wines from this warm year; classic rusk and dried porcini aromas; salty and tatsoi and really good Pho; stern yet juicy, serious yet sensual. The 2007 gets better and better, now sweet-natured and warm. There’s also an ‘08 in the wings, but bless him: we have the luxury of waiting for it.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Alte Reben,” 6/750ml j j ABY-284 To be offered in January 2014, or rather, not to be offered before January 2014. The wine is fabulous, with wonderful deep secret-sweetness and yet transparent and not remotely heavy. A “cool” stretching lift, as some ‘12s show, but not many show this authority and this loving kindness.

51 Grüner Veltliners (continued)

2011 Grüner Veltliner Spiegel, 6/750ml j j ABY-264 I only know this vineyard from Hiedler, who uses it to make lighter wines from Pinot Blanc. This wine belongs to Willi’s son Vincent, in fact, who bought the site from his father, planted with 45-50 year old GrüVe vines that used to go into the Alte Reben. It’s a really stony GV; fennely and powerful; a wintergreeny sweetness below this megalith of steel and stone. Way to go Junior: an amazing maiden-voyage! One of the best GVs I tasted in 2011.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Spiegel, 6/750ml j j ( j ) ABY-289

Kremstal & Kamptal I’m not sure I can wait for this ’12; it’s among the top GVs of the vintage; the combination of gigantic minerality, secret- sweetness and the prettiest hint of anise-hyssop make it overwhelmingly loveable.

Rieslings

2012 Riesling “Kamptaler Terrassen” ABY-277 I must have seen this at the worst possible time, as it showed a severity and stinginess quite atypical for Willi’s wines. Final judgment must be deferred. Bründlmayer

2012 Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein j ABY-290 2012 Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein, 12/375ml ABY-290H The cask-sample I tasted is creamy and exotic, almost buttery.

2011 Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein “Lyra,” 6/750ml j j ( j ) ABY-267 Named for the Y-shaped trellising system that increases leaf canopy, thus shading the grapes and giving more photosynthesis. It also “looks like the vine is throwing its arms up toward the sun,” says Willi (poetically!), who adds, “And it shows that you don’t need old vines to give great Riesling.” I quite lost it here. The wine is rapturous. It’s a quintessence of all the fruits and exotica of Riesling; utter pagan orgy of Riesling. The Alte Reben is religious, but this one is orgastic.

2011 Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben, 6/750ml j j ( j ) ABY-268 I’d come to approach this wine warily, as it’s been over-endowed alcoholically for many of the past vintages. But this insane masterpiece just undid me. The alc. is below 13.5%, and this is every single thing this cuvée can be at its very best. Talmudic minerality, and to call its smoldering depth “chewy” implies you could chew it. I think you’d have to drill through this baby! Massive fruit, profound in every way. A wine for the ages, and (yet) another example that no wine at all comes anywhere near to Riesling.

52 Pinks ’n Reds

2012 Zweigelt Rosé ABY-295 Delicate, rhubarb, fruity but not “silly,” and fresh but not bracing. Lighter than earlier vintages.

2011 Zweigelt, 1.0L ABY-270L A pure fruit explosion; you should wear a bib when you drink it. It’s mega-ripe (13.5%) for a Liter, fabulously sappy and

addictively pretty wine, all violets and huckleberries. Bründlmayer (A NOTE: there will be a 2011 Zweigelt Reserve to be released in January 2014, of fantastic quality, effusive and almost creamy, possibly Willi’s most seductive-ever red.)

2004 Cabernet Franc “Cuvée Vincent”, 6/750ml ABY-269 I was seriously impressed with this, perhaps more than any previously tasted Willi-red. Unexpectedly ripe and gracious with a fetching aroma and a sweet-natured palate. And can you get Chinon with 12.5% alc. that doesn’t have a bell- peppery stink? This is like a fine Chinon of the 70s or 80s. On last encounter it was just starting to enter its tertiary stage, which shows as a nuance of oxidative notes, though the finish is firm, not tired. Still, the wine is telling us to drink it. So, & Kamptal Kremstal um, do.

2009 Pinot Noir “Cecile”, 6/750ml ABY-293 2011 Pinot Noir Reserve, 6/750ml ABY-294 The ’09 is for real PN-lovers; it’s so tertiary and moderate and gentle; sweet-tempered but not “sweet” tasting, yet it’s long and lingering, tactful. (Even the lighter ’08 had more chi and fruit sweetness) However: the ’11 is seductive and sweet, with Bründlmayer’s silky polish and smoky length; this is the crowd-pleaser, the charmer. AVAILABLE JANUARY 2014

Bubbles!

2008 Sekt Brut, 6/750ml ( j ) ABY-257 A new (12/12) disgorgement of the wine we showed you last year; it’s a tic drier, still silky and flowery with exotic Chinese 5-spice notes; sheer fun to drink, even if there isn’t a schnitzel in the vicinity.

Sekt Extra Brut, 6/750ml j ABY-272 Disgorged March ‘13, it’s based on 2008 with a little 2009, and has 13% alc; it’s fabulously salty and sweetly grainy; right now I’d say this is the best fizz that isn’t Champagne; buttery and nutty and mature.Don’t miss it.

Brut Rosé, 6/750ml j ABY-273 Brut Rosé, 3/1.5L ABY-273M Half-half ‘08/’10, and as always a cuvée of Zweigelt, St. Laurent and Pinot Noir. “St. Laurent is the heart of the sparkling wine,” says Willi. This is out-of-this-world fruity and charming, like beet-chips, raspberries and rhubarb, and a delicate smokiness.

53 Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal // Gobelsburg

vineyard area // 49 hectares annual production // 20,000 cases certification // ISO 22000 Sustainable top sites & soil types // Steinsetz (alpine gravel and löss); Gaisberg, Renner (primary rock with mica slate); Grub (löss); Lamm (calcareous loam); Heiligenstein (gneiss desert sandstone with volvanic particles) grape varieties // 55% Grüner Veltliner, 25% Riesling, 7% Pinot Noir, 7% St. Laurent, 7% Zweigelt, 2% Merlot Kremstal & Kamptal My winery of the vintage could have warranted that designation for any of the last several vintages, and I think it’s time to say this is among the world’s most compelling and consequential wine estates, and though I wouldn’t say it’s “the best” in Austria, I would say there are none better.

Schloss Gobelsburg The 2012s were as rapturous a group of wines, doing today.” “I began to form the theory that, as more especially Veltliners, as one could ever taste, and believe technological possibilities existed and were used, the me, if Michael “Michi” Moosbrugger weren’t such a wines became more uniform. The opposite possibility was quiet guy I’d have been banging my head against the wall also to be considered; less technology meant more variable yelling “No! No! Wines can’t be this fucking amazing!” wines. But these were just my starting-out hypotheses, I can’t write this into a little capsule. It won’t let itself and I’m not at all certain absolute answers are to be found. be written that way. So again I beg your patience, and ask I think in order to begin to understand the wines of the for 2-3 minutes to tell you a story I know you should hear. pre-technological era, you have to try and understand the Peter Schleimer and I were having dinner one night, ideas behind them. and we ordered Gobelsburg’s 2005 Grüner Veltliner “The purpose in those days was to “school” the wines, “Tradition,” and it was lovely, and got us talking. what the French still call elevage, to raise the wines, or Peter loves it too, as do many of his colleagues at bring them up. It thus followed that for each wine there VINARIA (the excellent wine magazine he heads up), was an Ideal, and the job of the cellarmaster was to realize and so we wondered why the idea hadn’t seemed to spread these Ideals in the pure Platonic sense. Only when the to other estates. A few days later Johannes Hirsch was Ideal is reached is the wine ready to be appreciated and thinking out loud, wondering what it might be like to sold. Naturally there was no recipe, but there was a sense return to the old cellar instead of the brand-new one he of finding the proper moment in time and in the wine’s built a few years ago, and there’s a general sense somewhere natural oxidation, and these things were determined between curiosity and yearning about the old ways—or the empirically and by feel. It’s a highly dynamic system, with Old Ways—but best I can tell “Michi” Moosbrugger’s the differences from cask to cask, vintage to vintage, grape to only man to actually make a wine along those lines. (Except grape. Those people presumed that wine had to develop of course for Nikolaihof, all of whose wines are this way.) and expand in oxygen, entirely contrary to what we think It’s important to say the Tradition bottling is neither a today, that we have to protect it from oxygen at all costs.” pastiche nor even really a tribute. It arises from a wish to But what is this Ideal? And is it something a enter the spirit of the vintners of 100 years ago, before the priori, or is it of necessity limited by the contingencies possibilities of technology created choices they couldn’t of possibility? In order to go deeper into these questions, have imagined. What was their relationship to their land, Michi set about to make a wine as it would have been to their grapes? And how did they conceive of wine? made between the end of the Franco-Prussian war and the “The prime motivator for these thoughts arose start of World War 1. The results are offered below. during the tasting of the old wines in the estate’s It’s quite different from drinking the normal GrüVe cellar,” Michi begins. Though this was done in order Renner—the Tradition comes from that vineyard. I adore to determine what these old wines might be worth, the the Renner; it’s one of my favorite GrüVes, but in its experience set a range of thoughts in motion. “Afterward modern way it seems to stride right at you, outstretched I grew curious about the winemaking practices of the ‘50s hand, big smile, saying “I’m having a great day; let me tell and ‘60s, and spoke with Father Bertrand as well as the you why!” cellarmaster of those days. I felt that to understand those But drinking the Tradition is like walking in practices would help me better to understand what we’re your front door, and your beloved is listening to music,

54 Schloss Gobelsburg Kremstal & Kamptal Kremstal and she looks at you and you see she’s been crying. She wine is fabulous. His reds, from a region not known for doesn’t have to say a word. But something has happened, great reds, are sensible and lovely. This doesn’t result from and it saturates the room, and then her, and then you. any sort of alchemy, you know. It looks easy when you’re Schloss Gobelsburg has a centuries-old monastic sitting in the tasting room and the wines are so good you tradition, during which, as Michi puts it, “There were start taking their excellence for granted. But in fact it periods when the wines were great and periods when involves gradual and painstaking work you do when no they weren’t; after all, not every generation of monks had one is watching. Choices of vine material and replanting the same passion or skill. But what was always true was when necessary. Re-design in the cellar—including an the quality of the land.” When Willi first told me the innovation so brilliant you can’t believe no one thought of story he too pointed to the vineyards. “Terry, it is some of it before. Knowing that large cellars such as Gobelsburg’s the absolute best land in the Kamptal,” he said. have varying temperature zones, and wanting to move But the property was drifting, and as no relief was wines among different zones without having to pump in site from within, the monks considered summoning them, Michi invented a system of casks-on-wheeled- the cavalry from without. Willi was approached and platforms, so that entire casks can be wheeled hither and his advice sought. yon. Bründlmayer had a customer, a young man in Michi is aware of the gravity of a Great Tradition, but the opposite end of Austria. Michael Moosbrugger was rather than weigh him down it seems to prod him on. If a restless wine lover, just barely thirty years of age, who had he is aware of occupying a place in history, I imagine it’s to visions of making wine someday. Potentially great winery hope that, hundreds of years from now, someone will read needs new blood. Young, energetic and visionary wine- a chronicle of Schloss Gobelsburg and cite his era as one lover seeks winery. Put the two together and whoosh! of enlightenment. He is certainly an example of leaving Michi’s wines excel by precision and polish now. Their the world better than you found it! texture is truly silken, and their “temperament” is as pensive Feeling awed yet? That’s not my intent. Michi’s a rather as that of their maker. Gobelsburg has entirely shed the quiet guy (as guys go) but he and Eva are actually Just skin of the Michael-Willi association and has arrived at its Folks, and my visits here are warm and relaxed. In fact own place in the firmament. I’ve left a couple soul-prints at Schloss Gobelsburg. I was Gradually, one step at a time, Moosbrugger has added there with colleagues and customers on 9/11/01. And in new categories of excellence to his roster, until it seems a piece of eerie synchronicity, I was there on the very day everything he touches blazes into brilliance. His sparkling we heard the news that Bin Laden had been killed.

Brut Reserve, N.V. AZZ-070 Brut Reserve, N.V., 6/1.5L AZZ-070M Still mostly GV with some PN and Riesling; this was disgorged 01/13 and is majority 2008 with a little ’09. The disgorgement date is now on the label. Again it’s a silky and somewhat exotic fizz, with the angles and herbs of GV, coloring just outside the lines. You’d drink Bründlmayer with the schnitzel and this one with the salad.

55 Red Wines

2011 Gobelsburger Zweigelt AZZ-197 “Gobelsburger” (as opposed to the estate Schloss Gobelsburg) is a 2nd-label permitting purchased fruit, and able to reach certain price-points, while protecting the Great Name for the top wines. Berries and cherry-wood here; it’s discreet and less dusty than it sometimes is, plus a lot more comme il faut than many gushing ‘11s; a civilized wine with the bearing of a diplomat.

2011 St Laurent Ried Haidegrund, 6/750ml j AZZ-205

Kremstal & Kamptal Superb and classy yet also easy-going and genial; ripe polished fruit completely subdues such oak as may be there—in fact it’s done in 600-liter casks—the mid-palate is like rare Waygu with summer truffles; the texture is silky, the demeanor is sweet, and the wine is, truly, noble.

Grüner Veltliners

Schloss Gobelsburg The BEST LINEUP of GV I have ever tasted in a single vintage from a single estate!

2012 Gobelsburger Grüner Veltliner j AZZ-189 Euphoric fragrance, sweet and tenderly delineated; sweet grains and white flowers; the palate is digital and pixilated, cressy and a tiny bit of langoustine-sweetness plus the brine from the stock of the shells. The quality-price rapport has to be among the very best on earth.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Steinsetz j AZZ-192 2012 Grüner Veltliner Steinsetz, 12/375ml AZZ-192H CORE-LIST WINE. For many years this showed the most esoterically spicy side of GrüVe, as if it were fined with glacier dust and scree and stirred with a peppermint stick. The 2010 was markedly juicier, but I ascribed it to the vintage. This ‘12 continues the new pattern—if it is a pattern, because I asked Michi if the “accent” of the wine was being changed on purpose, and he said no, suggesting that perhaps the older vines were creating another kind of wine. Mind you, this ‘12 is plenty spicy, minty and eucalyptus-y, but unlike the pre-2010 vintages it isn’t obdurately firm and nippy. Vetiver, flowering fields and juiciness coat the bones; barky and pine-resiny. A completely original white wine!

2012 Grüner Veltliner Renner j j ( j ) AZZ-198 The site lies at the foot of the Gaisberg, and contains eroded gneiss with a high proportion of paragneiss, mica and amphibolite. A perfect condition for wines of minerality and generosity—just what this is. And it is also, and always the best value in this portfolio, because it costs about 25% less than its peers. Utterly gorgeous aromas and as nearly perfect a GV as any money can buy; all of its lilac, jasmine, vetiver and semolina and corn-bread and diver-scallop, and with stunning torque and disciplined power. The best vintage ever of this.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Grub, 6/750ml j j AZZ-201 The vineyard sits in a basin below the Gaisberg and Heiligenstein; the soil derives from loess, and is sandy-silty and calcerous with gravel, atop silt and sandstone. It’s a wind-protected heat trap, and I often find its wines too brusque and oafish for my taste. Not this time. The aromas are remarkably mineral and the alcohol is actually moderate—rare for ’12—but as always it’s the most Puligny among GVs, though this one actually has green aromas of aloe and balsam underneath the thump; massively salty and completely rich and concentrated yet, miraculously, without heaviness.

56 2012 Grüner Veltliner Lamm, 6/750ml j j j AZZ-202 This will occupy a seat at the table of the Great Gods. It is as sublime as wine can be, because of its astonishing combination of juiciness, angular power and trembling spiciness. Lamm as a rule is buckwheat-y, rusky, savory but not thick, like a vegetable-veal stock with barley, yet oddly also like lamb itself. (“Lamm” doesn’t mean lamb, but is rather a dialect word for “loam.”) It is a great wine though virtually without fruit per se. Compared to the endomorphic Grub, Lamm is the mesomorph. Its poise of gloss and power, intensity and outline, mass and transparency are emblems of the paradox without which no wine is truly great.

2011 Grüner Veltliner “Tradition,” 6/750ml j j AZZ-193

2011 Grüner Veltliner “Tradition,” 6/1.5L j j AZZ-193M Schloss Gobelsburg Meditative, and could almost be lulling if it weren’t so animated and salty; like a crusty dark bread of Renner (from which it comes, in fact); this cask-sample was due for one more racking, so the final profile could be even more tertiary.

Rieslings Kremstal & Kamptal Kremstal 2012 Gobelsburger Riesling AZZ-190 Sleek and discreet; radishes and aloe-vera, less effusive than the GV, more introspective. Still, it’s focused and silky and herbal.

2012 Riesling Gaisberg j j AZZ-199 The perfection of the cool, a moony minimalist wine, like a Miles Davis solo, or the waltz of the little dancer in the music box, or a full white moon over a black field of icy jewels.

2012 Riesling Heiligenstein, 6/750ml j j AZZ-195 Trades a little of Gaisberg’s outline and scores lovely exotic notes in return; spices, orchid-oolong and peony; not the gravitas of mineral of Gaisberg but more a semifreddo of middle-eastern spice and osmanthus.

2011 Riesling “Tradition,” 6/750ml j j j AZZ-196 Markedly strong Gaisberg character (from which indeed it hails), thanks I’m sure to the very old vines. This is simply profound, a complete rapture of flavor; wild white flowers and fresh dark bread; endlessly spicy, focused yet the mid-palate is a long whispered secret, of funerals and birds, and the girls are giggling as the stew simmers and your short, sad, amazing life fills with laughing, light and hunger.

Two Sweet Wines

2012 Grüner Veltliner Auslese, 12/375ml AZZ-203H A markedly spicy and varietally true not-quite-dessert wine; stopped by chilling—“We rolled the barrel outside into the cold”—like a lemon tart with sea-salt, more savory than “sweet,” and bottling will slim it even more.

2011 Grüner Veltliner Eiswein, 12/375ml AZZ-204H Picked February 1st (under nets), this is a very rich and super-exotic wine that actually is a dessert-wine; in fact from Steinsetz, it shows aromas of spearmint and aloe vera, and the palate is a key-lime custard with vetiver.

57 Hiedler Kamptal // Langenlois

vineyard area // 28 hectares annual production // 16,500 cases top sites & soil types // Thal (sandy löss and loam); Kittmannsberg, Spiegel (löss); Steinhaus (gneiss with amphibolite); Heiligenstein, Gaisberg (sandy weathered soils) grape varieties // 63% Grüner Veltliner, 15% Riesling, 6% Chardonnay, 6% Weissburgunder / Pinot Blanc, 2% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Zweigelt / Blauburgunder / St. Laurent / Sangiovese Kremstal & Kamptal After all these properly modern scrupulously correct wines, welcome to the crazy-hippy world of Ludwig Hiedler. Hiedler

Though it wouldn’t be right to suggest it’s anything- what’s striking here is how clear, refined and focused they goes at Hiedler; in fact the wines and the man are entirely are, while emphasizing a round rich vinosity in place of disciplined within the context in which he prefers to chiseled primary fruit. operate. Which is different than the others. And when (It also suggests we are sometimes perhaps too you hear about it you might expect the wines to be much forgiving of the flaws in some “natural” wines, as Hiedler’s more untamed and atavistic than in fact they are. In fact are as “natural” as they come, and they are not flawed…)

Hiedler at a glance // Don’t like sqeaky-clean, reductive wines? Step right up! Amazing values for chewy, ample wines with old-fashioned meat on ‘em. They are among the highlights in every vintage.

how the wines taste // Satisfying, is how they taste! Look, I adore those filigree delineated wines, you know I do, but after five days of tasting them it starts to feel likework. They demand study. With the first hit-o-Hiedler the palate sits up with a jolt: “Is there a party? Sure feels like it!” Yet within their succulent density is all the complexity you could wish for. They’re the thinking-man’s wine porno!

58 At some point with his wine in my glass I had Thal and Kittmannsberg. And for the past several years now a flickering thought that this was precisely the kind of Ludwig has done only spontaneous fermentations without wine I most loved to drink, and that most people ought enzymes or even SO2, and without temperature control. to love to drink; vivid and forthright, frisky and yet with Part of this is Ludwig’s innate restlessness, and another part substance, solid and strong yet still drinkable. And not is his desire to eschew the established orthodoxies. so digitally detailed that you feel you have to study its “I am a restless spirit,” said Ludwig Hiedler; “I always every nuance with each and every sip. There is something want another angle to improve the wines.” Hiedler likes incredibly hale about Hiedler’s wines. They seem to glow extract most of all. “It’s the single most important facet of with health and vitality. wine,” he says. “That’s why I don’t believe in the whole- Things are astir at Weingut Hiedler, and in the cluster pressing, because you lose too much extract.” Hiedler loveliest possible way: They are slowing down. “Plus,” he added with a merry gleam, “I like to The first organic experiments are happening, in the sites be different from the others!”

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Löss” AHL-185 CORE-LIST WINE. And by far the best vintage of this since I started shipping it. Quite a thrill in ’12, with twice the body and concentration it usually has; a slice of white-meat chicken with creamed lentils, arugula salad and a gentle apple- vinegar. With a really heavy dumpling! Kremstal & Kamptal Kremstal

2011 Grüner Veltliner Thal j AHL-176 2012 Grüner Veltliner Thal j AHL-186 CORE-LIST WINE. As he still has ’11 (a large-volume vintage is the reason why), I’m not sure whether we’ll sell these consecutively or concurrently. Loess and red sand here, and an old (over 60) vineyard, the Thal is the purest embodiment of Ludwig’s spirit. The ’11, which I wrote had “a note of the crisp skin of a perfectly cooked fish,” is saltier and more fine-boned than the ’12, very spicy with ore and garrigue. But that ’12 is monstrously good; it’s soft taco-shell compared to the crisper ’11—but ’12 is denser. It’s a cashmere sweater, and ’11 is a silk scarf. ’12 is a final blast of mint, ’11 is a goodbye kiss of nettle and red peppers. Equal in quality, radically different in style.

2011 Grüner Veltliner Kittmannsberg “November” j AHL-177 Two notes: one, this is a different bottling than the wine we shipped last year, much later (December) and somehow markedly better. Two, the word “November” will disappear from the label starting with the 2012. It’s all concentrated straw, and oyster beds, sweet-salty and coppery, silky and dignified, a Brooks Brothers GV. This is creamier, leesier than the first bottling, more scallop-y and tapioca. But this one’s always the neo-classical GV compared to the baroque companions it rides with.

2012 Riesling “Urgestein” AHL-187 CORE LIST WINE. He picked all of his Rieslings within a single week, and all were between 12.8-13.2 alc, and it’s no wonder he regards this as a Riesling vintage above all. I enthusiastically agree. This one’s bright, a real ice-splash of green stinging freshness; pea shoots, delicate mint, citrus and mineral covered over by a soft blanket of “sweet” veggies.

2012 Riesling Steinhaus j AHL-190 A steep site of myriad little terraces, amphibolite and gneiss higher up, and loess lower down. It gives the most exotic- green among Ludwig’s Rieslings, and this one’s like a salad of 50 edible herbs and greens, including mint and tarragon and lovage and pine; absurdly mineral, with a foamy brine; it’s the apex of its idiom, Riesling of massive flavor and essentially no fruit.

59 2012 Riesling Gaisberg, 6/750ml j j ( j ) AHL-191 Entire Grand Cru aroma! This is completely amazing. How can it be so focused, so angular and yet so creamy? A pudding from the best pastry chef on earth; she’s a genius with candied ginger, she made a potion of white iris; you weren’t even hungry but you ate all of it and half of your date’s. It would be seriously neglectful and maybe even foolish not to buy this wine.

2012 Riesling Heiligenstein, 6/750ml j AHL-192 Exotic and extravagant; smells like Uva Ceylon; as always a witches brew, smoky and deep and incense-y, with a finish of smokes and peaches.

Kremstal & Kamptal 2011 Riesling “Maximum,” 6/750ml AHL-193 Halbtrocken but still 14.5% alc, this is like a Thai curry; green onions and prawns, little corn-cobs and basil, smoked salt and just the right amount of heat. It was cooked with a vanilla bean, removed before serving.

2011 Weissburgunder “Maximum,” 6/750ml AHL-189 In the early 90s when I began here, these wines were so amazing I wrote they were the best Pinot Blancs in the world. Tasting them again now, in the form of a sublime 1993 Ludwig was kind enough to open and share, I would make that statement again.

Hiedler Vintages of the last decade have gotten over-endowed. Maybe it’s climate-change, or later picking or lower yields or all of those things, but these days I’m tasting monuments to admire instead of wines to actually use. Ludwig and I have talked about it, and he seems to agree in theory. But how does he obtain the ripe flavors he desiresand keep the wine below 14%? This is one of the big ripe ones; it smells like toasted brioche, vanilla yoghurt, flowering mustard and very fruity peppers like the wild Madagascar; the palate is rusk-y, lemony-salty and a wee bit hot.

(NOTES: we have a few cases of a ++ quality 1992 Riesling Heiligenstein that smells and tastes almost like mature Champagne, and Ludwig also offered me ten cases of a new item, a Muscat-Ottonel that tasted for all the world like a mannerly, flinty Sauv- Blanc, amazingly charming and smelling like cherry-blossoms. It isn’t expensive; ask us for some.)

60 Hirsch Kamptal // Kammern vineyard area // 31 hectares annual production // 12,500 cases top sites // Kammerner Lamm, Zöbinger Gaisberg, Zöbinger Heiligenstein soil types // löss, eroded mica slate topped with brown soil, eroded primary rock with desert sands and volcanic particles Hirsch grape varieties // 65% Grüner Veltliner, 35% Riesling

I have a strong personal affinity with Johannes Hirsch. Actually, I love the man.

I love his wit, I love his lone-wolf streak (because I share whatever Critical-Opinion they may engender. it), I love his seriousness, I love his collaborativeness— With regard to the bio-d thing, Johannes is there we have never had a problem we couldn’t solve promptly now, the transition is done, but typically for him, he

and with no lingering static—and I love the simple ease of had some issues with the politics of the matter, and now & Kamptal Kremstal his trimmed down portfolio. I consider him a friend. But “wishes I hadn’t said anything, and just done it.” I have when I taste his wines, I taste only his wines. Sentiment a principle of not identifying as organic or bio-d anyone waits in the next room. who doesn’t certify, because it prevents people from I happened to speak with Hirsch during the green-washing their way to the organic “Brand.” I am most gruesome days of 2008’s summer, when all it did contradicting myself here because it can’t be helped—you was rain and the vineyards were struggling to stay healthy. already knew (because I already told you) that Hirsch “So Mister Bio-dynamic; great timing, dude!” I said—I’m was among a group who were all converting to bio-d such a sensitive guy—and ‘Hannes replied “You know, together. So there’s no point in being coy about it now. if this had been the first year of transition I don’t think We tend to like to party with Johannes, ‘cause I’d have gone through with it, because it’s so difficult...” he’s crazily witty and likes to have fun, but when the but when we had the bottles lined up nine months later party’s over he’s a man with an active and probing mind. he echoed something I’ve heard before: “Now when I And he seems to have no fear. He was the first in Austria taste the wines I really forget what we went through to to go 100% Stelvin, the first to delay bottling and make them. I know it was difficult but I don’t physically releasing his Grand Crus. remember it, you know?” Sometimes when you have your kids they lead You often hear how the wine “makes itself,” but here you back to your soul, and the Johannes Hirsch I know it actually does. The ‘07 and ‘08 Rieslings had RS, and the now is rather different from the one I met ten years ‘09s had either much less or nearly none. That’s how those ago, still fun and witty, but entirely more probing and grapes fermented. Johannes is fearless this way; he expects curious, even restless. He seems to want to go back and his customers will understand that wine isn’t identical each rethink choices that seemed simple when he made them year. Those “sweet” Rieslings were so delicious they offer the first time. He seems to want to decelerate in general. an implied rebuke to the Puritanism of other Rieslings His wines, always exciting, are becoming profound. in Austria, which seem to grasp at dryness as an absolute An offering of Hirsch these days consists of whichever value. Hannes seems to get that there are few if any of the current vintage is ready to offer, plus anything still absolute values in flavor; he works his vines and sprays his available and showing well from previous years. I like that valerian drops and nettle teas and picks his grapes when it’s not confined to “the latest vintage!” and that the wines they’re ripe and lets them be and if they stop fermenting have a chance to inhale and exhale. It respects them, and us. with RS then so be it. It’s not a lot of RS, they’re not (eek) “German wines,” and he barely seems to attend to

Hirsch at a glance // Zoom! Went this agency, from out-of-nowhere to the top. Stellar-quality wines from a star- quality vintner at reasonable prices. AND AVAILABILITY IS GOOD. how the wines taste // For such great wines these are comparatively “easy” to understand: they’re juicy and spicy and their flavors are candid and animated. Specific nuances are, as always, determined by the vineyard.

61 2012 Grüner Veltliner AWH-106 CORE-LIST WINE. The new label will be the ongoing label, as I seem to have been in a minority-of-one who liked the label changing each year. Ya happy now? The wine will make you happy if not; ripe, tobacco-y and smoky, deep and earthy and almost tannic in the finish. Really huge for 11.5% alc, it tastes like a mushroom stock you threw a few drops of Sauv-Blanc into.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Heiligenstein” AWH-102 CORE-LIST WINE. Lots of color for a ’12; silky and silvery on the palate with a tactile deposit of mineral; the wine is ostensibly gentle and then hits a crescendo with this blatant scree. It seems also to float somehow; it isn’t a thing in gravity, but rather a great weightless orbit of morels and minerals. Kremstal & Kamptal 2011 Grüner Veltliner Lamm j AWH-097 2011 Grüner Veltliner Lamm, 12/375ml j AWH-097H 2011 Grüner Veltliner Lamm, 3/1.5L j AWH-097M It’s not wine, it’s food! A veal and porcini liquid poured over toasted rye bread with dark-meat turkey; weighty but beautifully proportioned; less “profound” than generous and savory. Not a monument but rather a big-boned wine to drink. And within 4-5 years, I’d say, as this vintage doesn’t seem structured to go for decades.

2012 Riesling Zöbing j AWH-111

Hirsch CORE LIST WINE. A beautiful fragrance, like a potion of irises and lavender; the palate defaults to its mineral middle, with a long silky texture and a dusty wash of scree and leaves; a lovely light essence of Riesling.

2011 Riesling Gaisberg j ( j ) AWH-095 2011 Riesling Gaisberg, 12/375ml j ( j ) AWH-095H 2011 Riesling Gaisberg, 3/1.5L j ( j ) AWH-095M 2012 Riesling Gaisberg j j AWH-107 2012 Riesling Gaisberg, 3/1.5L j j AWH-107M As 2012 is the vintage for Gaisberg, I want to get that wine here ASAP. The aroma is a miracle. Starry-night Winter-sweet Gaisberg, mineral to a point of near-pungency; endlessly expressive yet with poise and repose; the way a virtuoso makes it “look easy”? Like that. The lovely ’11 is as mineral as ’12 but more grainy, more barley-like and savory; it seems also more dispersed until the sudden laser-focus on the finale.

2011 Riesling Heiligenstein j AWH-096 2011 Riesling Heiligenstein, 3/1.5L j AWH-096M 2012 Riesling Heiligenstein j ( j ) AWH-109 2012 Riesling Heiligenstein, 3/1.5L j ( j ) AWH-109M The ’11 is a spicy beast; nettles and Szechuan pepper and a crazed saltiness. ’12 seems to show more stomach, pungent smoke and spice; more turbulent than the moon-silent Gaisberg; its pure dryness accents the roasted pepper char; serious and embedded mineral. But cask-samples can evolve unpredictably, so let’s watch where this goes.

62 Wachau

I think my favorite thing of all about the Wachau is the idyllic Landhaus Bacher in Mautern, where I like to stay when I’m there. You feel very cared-for.

The rooms are dear without being either stultifyingly A subversive thought came to me. Since the problem luxurious or too adorably precious. The restaurant is just with most Federspiels are that they’re too flaccid and taste a perfect joy; lovely, radiant food, nothing show-offy, incomplete, and the concomitant problem with many just purity, vitality. The amazing Johanna, who never Smaragds is that they’re annoyingly overripe and brutishly seems to sleep, sets the tone for utterly exquisite service, heavy, why separate them into two unsatisfactory categories, and is somehow there the next morning to coax you into but instead, why not just make one wine of say 13% alc reluctant consciousness with her almost unbearable gaiety. instead of one with 12% and the other with 14.5%? You

The restaurant’s wine list is an Aladdin’s cave of could average the price, and if you absolutely had to, you Wachau treasures from the Wachau and its neighbors. And yet, could make a few body-builder types just to appease your as I perused it night after night I found myself more throbbing manhood. I say this semi-facetiously, but it’s drawn to the wines of the Kamptal and Kremstal, actually not a bad idea. Perhaps it could be applied only which simply offered more quality-per-Dollar than the to the top Crus, and the lesser sites can go on making the magnificently unreasonable Wachau. Why magnificent? lesser wines they’re making now. Because the region is stupendously beautiful and Not that any of this could ever happen, but I’m just the best wines are the pinnacles of Austrian wines. Why the idiot to propose it! We can attack it just as soon as unreasonable? Because there’s too much business chasing we’ve rid the world of “DAC.” too little truly great wine. The Wachau is a wonderful The Danube cuts a gorge through a range of hills that place to be a tourist, a gourmand, a wine-geek, but it’s an can truly be called rugged. Vineyards are everywhere awkward place to do business. the sun shines, along valley floors on loamy sand soils, The greatest Wachau wine will distinguish itself from gradually sloping upward over löss deposits and finally its neighbors in the Kamptal or Kremstal the way great climbing steep horizontal terraces of Urgestein once again, Côte de Nuits does from Côte de Beaune; all things being the primary rock soil containing gneiss, schist and granite, equal, Wachau wines are simply weightier. The best of often ferrous (which may account for the “ore” thing I them, though, are distressingly scarce, and prone to be often use in tasting notes). pricey, especially at lesser levels of ripeness. The great The locals talk of a “climate fiord” brought on by wines are worth whatever one can afford to pay for them, the gorge-like configuration of the landscape and the but the smaller wines often strike me as dubious values. collision of two climactic phenomena; the Pannonian And one must be quite selective. There’s a large disparity current from the east with the continental current from between a few superb properties and the general run of the west, all of which make for extreme variations of day rather ordinary vintners who seem content to coast in the and nighttime temperatures. The autumns, particularly, slipstream of the region’s renown. are clement and usually dry. Early November picking is Indeed this problem is getting worse, not better. Even routine. (Though one sly grower said: “There’s nothing if one yields the point that the best Wachau wines are the romantic about picking in November.”) The western best Austrian wines of all, the second level of Wachau section of the regions is said to give its finest wines, due in wines are nothing out of the ordinary and they’re part to cooler nighttime temperatures as the breezes blow highly overpriced. I begin to wonder if Wachau wines down from the hills. The wines become fuller-bodied and don’t really reach their sweet-spot of ripeness until the more powerful as you move downstream, reaching their “Smaragd” level. Below 12.5% alcohol a great many taste utmost force and expression in Loiben and Dürnstein. malnourished and incomplete.

63 Alzinger Wachau // Unterloiben

vineyard area // 10 hectares annual production // 6,250 cases top sites & soil types // Mühlpoint (clay mixed with gneiss); Liebenberg (mica schist); Hollerin (gneiss mixed with löss and loam); Loibenberg, Steinertal (weathered gneiss) grape varieties // 55% Grüner Veltliner, 45% Riesling

These are powerfully expressive yet mostly gentle wines, the kind that you might believe can release oxytocin into your body, they deliver such affirming calm. Wachau A lzinger

I was in the loo as we moved into the Riesling outside. I mean, this bird was loud. I had to chuckle at Smaragds, and there was the most delicate little spider, the juxtaposition of metaphors, the little slender spider in with silvery green legs and a body the size of a fennel her repose, the yapping bird with its helpless melodies. I seed. You wouldn’t be afraid if she crawled on your often find these totems are all around us if we know how face. I wanted to give her a name. What would such a to look. silky little being be named? Just as I was admiring her I drank a bottle of F.X. Pichler’s 2002 Steinertal there was an especially lusty little blackbird trilling away Riesling one night, and it was as marvelous as I expected

Alzinger at a glance // Sleek, clear, winsome yet authoritative wines from the kindly hands of the newest Wachau superstar! Every vintage since 1995 is amongst the best collection in Austria.

how the wines taste // Alzinger’s wines are uniformly threaded into skeins of nuance and even when they’re at their biggest they’re always shapely and lissome. They aren’t delicious because they’re great; they’re great because they’re delicious.

64 it to be. I’ve long admired the glossy power of those The two top sites are among the greatest Grand Crus wines at their best. Yet when I looked at the words I was of the Wachau, and they are polar opposites in style. The using to discuss it—it was showing well, it performed LOIBENBERG is as mighty in the glass as it looks on beautifully—I realize I felt like I was an audience for the the huge terraced hillside, and yet for a powerwine it isn’t wine, that I was separate from it in some crucial way. at all brutish. The wines, whether Riesling or GrüVe, are Perhaps this has everything to do with me, and it’s by no tropical and exotic, yet they manage an uncanny light- means a slam on a highly laudable wine, but when I drink footedness and refinement. I suspect a synesthesiac would Alzinger’s wine I have no such feeling. With them I feel taste yellows and oranges in the wines. Loibenberg is a included, roused, affectionate; I feel a thing akin to love. summer day with peaches ripening on the tree, but it’s Alzinger’s wines are no more forceful than any breezy and fresh, not sultry and thick. of the other Wachau greats. They aren’t longer, or STEINERTAL is the coolest among the Loiben Crus, riper. What they do is take the serenity with which both actually and metaphorically. It’s small and hidden they’re endowed and pass it upward through a kind of back—5.5 hectares, divided in three sections, with only apotheosis, beyond which they are beatific and glowing. four proprietors I know of (one of whom has Muskateller You wouldn’t be surprised if the cellarmaster were the planted; someone get me that to taste), of whom Alzinger Dalai Lama. Alzinger’s wines almost never push and owns the largest share. It’s more or less the first terraces assert; they are instead amazingly sanguine and calmly you see if you’re driving in from the east and the Kremstal; lzinger lovely. Their force is a force of kindliness. They take indeed it’s sheltered by the craggy cliff of the Pfaffenberg. A you in. They do not strut. Yet if you are tempted to Steinertal makes mark-ed wine, “green” flavors, as think I’m offering an elegant rationale for less-than- estoteric as Loibenberg but in another register of nuances; stellar wine, you’d be wrong. The magazine VINUM green teas, herbs, limes, heirloom apples, often a naked recently published the results of a 10-year retrospective minerality. It seems predestined for Riesling, and even tasting of most of the Wachau’s GrüVe monuments, Alzinger’s splendid GrüVe can be mistaken for Riesling FX Pichler Kellerberg, Knoll Schütt, Hirtzberger (at least until you taste the actual Riesling alongside). You Honivogl—that crowd. You’ll be interested to know could construct a fanciful vision of Steinertal taking a trip Alzinger had the 2nd-highest composite score (90.7) to the Saar and returning with the thought “I want to achau W which was .8 below the top. make wines like those wines.”

2012 Grüner Veltliner Mühlpoint Federspiel ALA-125 This is the hillside below the Steinertal, where the slope moderates and you don’t need terraces. The soil changes also, but whereas the wines used to be overtly green-beany, recent vintages have shown more minerality and a cooler profile, which Leo ascribes to the vines’ aging, and “to the roots reaching their water source as they go deeper into the soil.” Salty and sorrel-y as it’s been since 2010—the wax beans are gone, the new minerality is indirect in 2012, but lingers.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Mühlpoint Smaragd, 6/750ml j ALA-126 Here we do have force, urgestein ore and arugula, and a fiercely spicy finish. An adamant classic, big and muscular and sinewy.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd, 6/750ml j j ALA-124 Atypically green this year; vetiver and pine—at least at first, in this cask-sample. The palate is both more exotic and more directly mineral, and there’s an endless stream of smoky-salty savor that virtually licks your tongue. It’s profound, seductive, a philosopher with a talent for witty anecdote, and it’s entirely attractive, addictive, without being at all “yummy.” Wow.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Steinertal Smaragd, 6/750ml j ( j ) ALA-127 This one’s the Wild Child, a pagan orgy of mints and leaves, the kind where you’d hallucinate if you ate them. Some capsicum-heat is present, to which I may be oversensitive. This plant-essence juiciness can make a guy lick his chops.

65 2012 Riesling Dürnsteiner Federspiel ALA-133 Just a lovely light-bodied Riesling, moderate in every way; not especially peachy, not markedly mineral; just a civilized and companionable wine, at least until the avalanche of scree-dust mineral at the end. Just bottled, which may be tamping this down.

2012 Riesling Liebenberg Smaragd, 6/750ml j ALA-129 The world’s most radishy Riesling, vaporous and eucalyptus and nettle and ore and wintergreen. Pure spicy shimmer; if there were a mouthwash called “Essence Of Riesling” it would taste like this. A huge volume of flavor, and just a little of what we’d call “fruit.” A cool steep terraced site upstream from Dürnstein, on amphibolite, and the 13-year-old vines have rooted to the aquifer and are starting to pull from the sub-soils.

2012 Riesling Hollerin Smaragd, 6/750ml j j ALA-128 OK, here’s the fruit! Leo tells me their parcel is loess-y, which likely accounts for it. Also the herbs, also the minerals, also that feeling of falling through layers of stony juice—this is tectonically mineral. Yet there’s also a pure madness of dialogue, a slice of just-ripe apricot, a slice of wild-boar ham wrapped around it, a mint leaf, and pop! into the mouth. Wash it down with some mineral powder mixed with starchy pasta water. Head-shakingly complex yet also hedonistic

2012 Riesling Höhereck Smaragd, 6/750ml j j ALA-132 Last year we got a few bottles, and this year we’ll get a few plus a few. The total production is around 70 cases—the total Wachau production. “Um, Leo,” I said, “Wouldn’t it make sense, since the production is so tiny, to sell it all to one customer? Someone, for example, such as, perhaps, me?” Ha haha; yes, that would be funny. Now don’t be mad if you can’t get any. Even if I were to beg pathetically I couldn’t eke more than 10 cases from them. I wish it were otherwise, because in some vintages I think this is the best Riesling of all. There’s authority here, solid power, and an astonishing conciliation of Hollerin’s fruit with Loibenberg’s exotics with Steinertal’s minerality. Of course it’s absurdly superb; the highest expression of all of it; herbs, ferrous ore, char, exotic green fruits, secret sweetness, currant-leaf; this tiny vineyard makes one of the greatest Rieslings on earth. A lzinger

2012 Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd, 6/750ml j j ALA-130 Well what is it? Verbena and wintergreen, or quinces and plums? Or the dozen salady greens? Like chewing a sprig of Italian parsley, or eating the “Spring Mix With Herbs” right from the box. But there’s also delicate mango and lemon, plus Sencha and osmanthus, in this crazy miracle wine.

2012 Riesling Steinertal Smaragd, 6/750ml j j ( j ) ALA-131 A walk through the deep woods with an old monk who shows you what plants you can eat. Each step is a blessing. This is the most sapid vintage of any I’ve tasted, as if you took a fistful of edible leaves and squeezed the juice out of them. The bracing spiciness is leavened by an almost creamy tenderness. I don’t know how to account for such a thing. I taste it, and walk among wonders.

66 Nikolaihof-Wachau Wachau // Mautern vineyard area // 22 hectares annual production // 8,300 cases certification // Demeter Certified Biodynamic top sites // Steiner Hund, Klausberg, Im Weingebirge, Vom Stein, Süßenberg soil types // primary rock topped with humus or gravel, and eroded primary rock grape varieties // 55% Riesling, 35% Grüner Veltliner, 10% Neuburger, Gelber Muskateller, Gewürztraminer, Frühroter Veltliner, Chardonnay

We were sitting in a schmoozy kind of way with “Nikky” Saahs, and he was talking about the old days. Someone may have asked why the estate decided to go bio-d so long before anyone else did. Nikky told us that in the 60s his father didn’t use the prevailing chemical treatments because times weren’t good and he couldn’t afford them. So he did without, and his vineyards did without, and after a few years both man and vine Nikolaihof-Wachau alike learned how to do without.

Some of you have seen the proud great linden that me to taste so analytically, or things of that nature. occupies the courtyard; it has become something of an Christine seemed quite undone by my innocuous-seeming emblem itself, that tree, yet at heart it’s also a kindly giver query. “Oh I don’t know how to answer a question like Wachau of shade and shelter from the rain, not to mention a home that,” she said, and “No one has ever asked me that to a lot of birds. One can’t imagine Nikolaihof without question.” She was so shy I was unbearably touched. that tree, yet one also can’t quite explain why it makes Finally she said she enjoyed the times when she such sense. It seems to coalesce a lot of love into its nexus, felt useful because at such times she was aware of the that huge green being. The birds love it, the buzzing gift given her—the power to be useful. Whether in pollinators love it, any human being who gets near it the family or in the vineyards or the garden or in the loves it, and I think the tree also loves its life and being restaurant they also run, she liked to feel she could lovely and useful. In a sense it stands for our relationship put her providentially endowed power to good use. It to nature itself. There was a moment where their little suddenly struck me she embodies the Buddhist idea of wire-haired dachshund, charmingly known as “Lumpy,” enlightenment; to be cheerful and useful. It is certainly was up on his tiny hind legs peering intently into the tree the least neurotic approach to ones life! and barking, and Nikki explained “Sometimes when we Since everything is unified within these walls throw his ball to him it gets caught up in the branches and (and outside them also) it is very clear to me that eventually falls back down, and Lumpy thinks the tree is Nikolaihof’s wines also embody that enlightenment. also playing with him.” Well that explains everything. “Cheerful and useful” would be a perfect way to Maybe it’s because we know one another longer describe them. Even at their most profound, and they now, but I find myself wanting to remind you, as much attain such profundity quite regularly, theirs is never an as Nikolaihof is a Bastion-Of-The-Biodynamic, and as intimidating or haughty Greatness, but rather a sapid meaningful and stirring as the people and their wines are companionability that’s almost affectionate. The wines to me, as I draw closer I enjoy that these are really just talk not only to your senses, they talk to your life. people leading a particularly fine life. Saahs’ preference for the bio-dynamic life doesn’t seem And if you harbored any expectation the young to hail from a concern we’d call “environmental” in the generation would somehow “modernize” Nikolaihof, political sense. It rather arises from their overall approach it was Nikky who insisted on reviving the use of the to sharing life with other forms of life, and also from their ginormous 18th-century wooden press, which had sense of time. become a museum piece. Nikolaihof is the oldest winery in the Wachau; Once we were seated one year, I asked Christine, the buildings are soaked in history. The winery was the “When are you happiest in your work?” I thought first Demeter-certified wine in the world. They have the question was straightforward. Others to whom farmed and made wines organically for 40 years; for I’ve posed it have said things like I like it best in the them it is vitally important to treat wine as a grocery first vineyards, or I really enjoy the blending, it fascinates and foremost, as a comestible.

67 A study has been published which appears to that the most predatory of the plants would eventually prove the salubriousness of Biodynamic wines in general overcome the weaker plants, so each year we mow the and Nikolaihof’s wines in particular. Christine is very meadow twice. It levels the playing field,” she added, proud of this, and I’m happy for her. Yet somehow I’m looking thoughtfully into the distance. “We don’t drive ahuNikolaihof-Wachau Wachau less touched then she is, and I think I know why. I recall a big car, we don’t take world cruises... but we do mow seeing a story in one of the magazines which said scientists our meadows twice a year,” she said, as if to herself. “We had isolated the health-giving compounds in wine simply occupy this little form of skin and bones for a few and could make them available in pill-form. At which years, but we need to nourish our hearts and souls by point it became very clear to me; we don’t drink wine finding a home in our parts of the world and caring for because it is (merely) “healthy;” we drink it because, in this home.” an holistic way, it is good for us. Not only for our discrete Perhaps this simple rootedness appeals to bodies, but for our whole lives and souls. That wine is in something lonely in us Americans. We are such spiritual fact harmless and probably even healthful is something and emotional nomads. We seem hesitant to lay claim we already knew intuitively; it’s a bonus, but it ain’t why. to this world, perhaps for fear of having to surrender I am sure Christine knows this too. to it. When I am with the Saahs’ I always feel a jolt of Needless to say, the utmost emphasis is laid on recognition; this is the anchoring I seek, or imagine myself the vineyard. Old vines, low yields, natural farming, and seeking. But could I live as they do? I don’t know. unmanipulative cellar work are the secrets, so to speak, Some of these wines are as still as silent ponds, but to quote Dr. Helmut Rome: “The secret of these and each nuance of flavor is like a small pebble dropped wines lies not so much in cellar technology—which in any in the silvery water, and you watch the tiny silent case barely exists—as in the special care of the vines.” He ripples flow slowly toward shore. They seem utterly quotes Saahs as saying, “You shouldn’t shove a wine along; without affect, but instead serenely themselves. They are just give it a controlled peace so it can develop itself.” numinous in their very lack of thrusting and pushing. Fermentation (natural yeasts,) and all aging is in old They are candid and modest. I cannot tell you how wood. The wines spend a long time—up to 4 months— these wines stir such a calmness of spirit. Other wines on the lees. Nor is Saahs chasing the blockbuster icon or are perhaps more poignant, or more exciting. But I have pushing the ripeness envelope. Remember his admonition never tasted wines more settling than these. Each of them that wine is a foodstuff. “I like to drink wine, not study is like a slow centering breath, a quiet breath, the breath it,” he says. “We pick when the grapes are ripe, we don’t of the world, unheard almost always beneath the clamor. wait for overripeness. There’s nothing charming about It’s a shame that words like “sublime” can lose harvesting in November.” their music and force through squandering, and I know It takes more people to farm organically; the I’m part of the problem. But the quality of sublimity Saahs employ 10 workers for 20 hectares. They claim a in Nikolaihof’s wines has to do with their basic conventional winery could do the work with four or five. characters; hale, trustworthy, unaffected, substantive They are happy, they say, to give employment to more but never tiring, explicitly connected and charged with a people; “We are not in this world just to make money,” gentle force. It isn’t about making you love them; it’s about says Christine Saahs. Among the 20 hectares of land what they can do to ease your way, by whispering their are two meadows allowed to grow wild. “We learned tender steady reminder of the sweet secrets of the world if we didn’t control the vegetation in these meadows we share.

68 2012 Gelber Muskateller ( j ) ANK-133 Just bottled when I tasted it, standing outside in the sun upon arriving, as a welcome-drink. I wanted to grab the bottle and just slug it, honestly. But I forced myself to be mature, and drank it from a fine stem, and noticed how sapid and almost creamy it was, with its subtle lemon; starchy and spicy and with the extra dimension of oyster-shell that makes it the best Muscat among my Austrian offerings. Peony and white lilac also, and three atmospheres of length.

2012 Grüner Veltliner “Hefeabzug” j ANK-120 CORE-LIST WINE. Brilliantly saline and fennel-y, starched and stiff, talcy and lemony, twitchy-vital and spicy chi. Considering this is Christine’s “11am wine,” I herewith invite her to join me in two dozen east coast oysters, after which we’ll take the day off.

2012 Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel ANK-123 2012 Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel, 6/1.5L ANK-123M Markedly lissome and chiseled, slate-blue eyes and high cheekbones; even a little phenolic and certainly mineral, especially for this estate. The finish is clipped but the alc is below 12%, and the clarity and oyster grip is almost more typical for Hefeabzug. Nikolaihof-Wachau 2011 Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Smaragd, 6/750ml j ANK-121 2011 Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Smaragd, 6/1.5L j ANK-121M Delicate and soulful. Not a flashy first impression. 12.6% alc. Pea shoot and vetiver and a curious tickle of tannin; a careful beautiful wine with nothing to prove. Again a stirringly mineral finish.

I should emphasize, I don’t need to or want to summon any kind of spell when I’m tasting here. I try instead to erase my Wachau screen and then transcribe whatever takes place. I mean, the wines are how they are, and I seem to feel my only authentic response is directly into image and metaphor. And the tasting itself is quite workmanlike; 4-5 glasses are lined up and the wines poured into flights, just like anywhere else. And then they start to peal, and the usual deconstruction of flavors just isn’t called for. Better to fall into the aura of the pealing, to hear the complicated overtones, to feel the air between the wine and me. That’s what seems to work. (PSSSSSST! Those of you who buy the Neuburger are in for a treat, as the ’12 is the best vintage in many years…)

2012 Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel ANK-127 2012 Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel, 6/1.5L ANK-127M Adorable aromas of quince and currant leaf lead into a lively spicy fennel-y palate. The direct attack is really, ah, striking. Though they didn’t design it, of course. It’s like tatsoi leaves you eat from the bag.

2010 Riesling Vom Stein Smaragd, 6/750ml j ANK-129 2010 Riesling Vom Stein Smaragd, 6/1.5L j ANK-129M Almost rugged and gnarly—that’s ’10 baby. Flowering fields aroma doesn’t specifically signal “Riesling,” but the stretchy sinewy palate scratches that very itch; it’s the sting of mint without the mint of mint.

2009 Riesling Steiner Hund, 6/750ml j j ANK-126 This vineyard is existentially unique, as if it had its own magnetic fields. Druids would have built their megaliths there. Maybe at night a UFO lands silently and all the little space dudes get out and do some magic, I don’t know. But I know of no other great wine that seems so unknowable, overwhelming and haunting. Beautiful and unusual, all of its gorgeously strange green mineral together with the chamomile and yellow fruits and osmanthus of ’09—I mean really, you can’t stop sniffing it. More solid and firmly spicy than the more oxidative ’08 and ’07; this is like the ’05 diving into an ice cold pool; all the crazy mineral jazz plays on the back palate.

69 2008 Riesling Klausberg Reserve, 6/750ml j j j ANK-132 God help me, I know this is expensive. I do. But this is an ecstasy worth any amount of money. The fragrance is a transport of white flowers, quince and fresh raw langoustines, with the very sweetest ginger. The palate is beyond space and time; spicy, bewitchingly salty and minty, and trust me, it will stop your life for a moment. You won’t recall what you were doing. It all falls away, and the beauty assumes your entire sky, your whole vista, and whatever pool of love and safety you emerged from. Want a map to your deepest heart? Here, you only need a glass, a corkscrew, and a moment of repose. That’s all. The vineyard is next to Steiner Hund, higher up and cooler.

2006 Riesling Vom Stein “Jungfernlese,” 6/750ml j j ANK-135 It means the virgin-vintage, the first crop from young vines. And it’s what the Germans would callFeinherb , and it’s what any sane person would call irresistible! A potion of iris and lavender, spicy and penetrating; very long, seductively earthy, like a really profound Nahe Spätlese, almost the 5-spice and wildflower of Dönnhoff’s Felsenberg.

1998 “Steinriesler,” 6/750ml j j j ANK-117 “Riesler” is an archaic term for Riesling. Saahs wanted to see how a wine might age in cask without sulfur if it were an ordinary and not a grand wine to begin with. The first example was a glorious 1999, offered two years ago. So what do they do for an encore? Offer something even older. ahuNikolaihof-Wachau Wachau This is a masterpiece of time, nature and instinct. Less “humble” than that ‘99 was, and more insanely, dauntingly complex. I could detail its three paragraphs worth of nuance if I had 40 minutes to study it. Let’s just say, a perfect positive oxidation, a whole encyclopedia of wild flowers and herbs, a mélange of every possible salt, and the gentlest note of allspice and pink peppercorn. I don’t care what it costs—don’t miss it.

1995 Riesling “Vinothek,” 6/750ml j j j ANK-111 First came the 1990 Riesling, then the 1991 GV, then the 1993 GV, each of them as beautiful and soulful as wine could ever be. And now this. It’s just 12.5% alcohol. This tender wine has been alone so long, it’s almost forgotten how to speak in language—so it sings. All it does is sing. You want to speak of its noble oxidation but you get caught in the sultry web of its amazing floweriness and pure vetiver. It actually, after all these years in cask, needs oxygen. Your sensual-analytical skills don’t help you here. Put them away. Quiet down, all the way down. You can enter the house, they’ve left the door unlocked. But once inside, the rooms are dim. You find your way by an instinct you didn’t know you had. You listen as you never did before. And you are given back to yourself, a strange new person, swimming in beauty and as supple as a child, pensive and amazed.

70 Hans Reisetbauer Axberg // Upper Austria

In 1990 Hans Reisetbauer planted his first apple Eaux de Vie orchard of 1.5 hectares in Kirchdorfergut and on September 16, 1994 Christian Carl of Göppingen built a Apple in Oak Barrel, 6/375ml XHR-024 still from plans designed by Hans himself. Quickly Hans gained notoriety in 1995 by winning “Schnapps of the Apricot Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-003 year” at the Destillata specialist trade fair. Reisetbauer Plum Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-001 has been named “Master Distiller of the Year” by the Austrian gourmet guide A la Carte in ’04, ’07, ’08 and Williams Pear Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-002 ’09. Most recently he won the Falstaff’s “Spirits Trophy Award” in 2010. Raspberry Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-009

Hans Reisetbauer’s dedication in his orchards, detail Cherry Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-004 Hans Reisetbauer in distillation and constant quest for new innovations has led him to be considered one of the finest producers of Wild Cherry Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-011 Eaux de Vie in the World. In order to control the quality of his products, Reisetbauer mostly uses fruit grown on Elderberry Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-005 his own property. Hans has also done careful comparisons Rowanberry Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-006 to find the best water for use in his process, exclusively xberg A using spring water from Mühlviertel. As Hans explains, Ginger Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-014 “Temperature, time and aeration during fermentation, as well as condition of raw material are important factors Carrot Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-013 influencing the quality of the final product.” Following Hazelnut Eau de Vie, 6/375ml XHR-028 fermentation, the mash is distilled twice with the heads and tails being discarded. Only the “heart” of the distillate (Eaux de Vie also available in 1.75L bottles) is kept as it contains the most prized volatile and aromatic components from the raw material and is responsible for Mixed Case Eau de Vie XHR-010 creating distinctive aromas. Lastly, the product is diluted Wooden case including 1 bottle of each: Apricot, Plum, with water to bring it to 41% alcohol. Reisetbauer’s Blue Williams Pear, Raspberry, Wild Cherry and Rowanberry Gin follows the same detailed approach, utilizing a recipe of 27 botanicals from 10 different countries, and strictly Grain Spirits Mulan variety wheat harvested from Upper Austria. Whisky, 6/750ml XHR-015 Blue Gin, 6/750ml XHR-025 Blue Gin also available in 1.75L bottles

Fruit Wine Brut Apfel (2009) XHR-026 Sparkling Apple Cider, produced Méthode Champenoise, with 100% estate Jonagold apples.

71 Reference

Grape Varieties things and say ewww, who’d want to drink that? But when you taste, you know right away you’re encountering Grüner Veltliner something distinctive, original, and indispensible. Austria’s signature variety—one in every three vines However “trendy” GrüVe may have been, its greatest is GV—is a late-ripening thick-skinned grape. Vine value is it isn’t merely trendy, but rather has a permanent material is important, and the new generation of vintners place in the pantheon of important grapes, and a is gradually eliminating all the nasty old clones that were prominent place among food’s best friends. Among the only bred for mega-yields. many wonderful things Grüner Veltliner is, it is above GV will excel in every echelon; it makes a great all THE wine that will partner all the foods you thought quaff, a lovely medium-weight alfresco wine, and it makes you’d never find a wine for. superb powerful wines that stand easily with every great One wishes to be indulgent of the caprices of

Reference dry white in the world. Among them, it is the most flexible attention in our ephemeral world. But at some point at the table, because it goes with things that defeat every the last two weeks, tasting yet another absolutely other wine. supernal GrüVe, my blood commenced to simmerin’. Brassicas? Check. Asparagus? No worries. Artichokes? Where dry white wine is concerned this variety should Perfect match. Shrimp? You betcha. What about cabbages have pride of place on wine lists. There is simply NO and things like that? If it stinks up your house when you other variety more flexible and none offering better value cook it, GV is the wine to drink with it. Plus it goes with especially at the high end. all the things other dry whites are used for. This is why I Obviously you’re not going to slash away at all your am about to say that GV should have pride of place on Chards and Sauv-Blancs and all the other easily saleable your wine lists. wines. But if you are who you claim you are, then you have As a rule it’s a medium-to-full bodied wine. When to resist consigning this remarkable variety to the scrap heap grown in primary rock, these are common descriptors for of the previously fashionable. In fact you should increase it: pepper, boxwood, mustard-greens (arugula, mizuna, the presence of GrüVe on your lists, and when someone tatsoi, et.al.), “ore” (a ferrous sense), shoot-smoke, demands to know “What’s with the umlauts?” you can bask basils, cress, mints and parsleys, strawberry, tobacco, and in the knowledge you’re about to RAWK his very world. ordinary apple and citrus. When grown in loess, then you Aging Grüner Veltliner: you gotta be patient! find legumes, lentils, various kinds of beans, grain (barley, I know of no variety other than Chenin Blanc (in the oats, maize), vetiver, sorrel, oleander, roasted bell-peppers, Loire, of course) which takes longer to taste old. All rhubarb. Seen naked on the page, you could look at these things being equal, Veltliner lasts longer than Riesling,

72 and it never goes petrolly. What it can do is to take on splash the greeny gurgle of wine into the nearest glass; a dried-mushroom character that becomes almost meaty. sniff and salivate—drink and be HAPPY. Mature GrüVe has been a revelation to every taster I’ve seen. It’s a perfect choice for a rich fatty meat course Pinot Blanc when you prefer to use white wine. Don’t think you a.k.a. WEISSBURGUNDER. What used to be have to drink them young—though if you catch one perhaps the world’s best examples of this variety have at any age short of ten years you are drinking it young. seemingly succumbed to climate change. Many of the Think of young GrüVe like fresh oyster mushrooms, and Serious Ones are now, to my taste, simply too alcoholic. grownup GrüVe like dried shiitakes. That does leave the mid-range ones as very pure renditions Grüner Veltliner is a damn-near great grape of Pinot Blanc (without the blending in of Auxerrois, as is variety. Often while tasting it I wonder how dry white practiced in Alsace), and these often show fruit and shellfish wine can be any better, and then the Rieslings start notes I don’t encounter elsewhere in the world. Yet as appearing (you taste Veltliner first in Austria) and you outstanding as the best wines can be, they face competition see they have just a little more dynamism and even finer from the Germans and the Swiss, and even in Alsace there flavors. Thus the Veltliner is always priced around 10% are a few growers who take the variety seriously. below Riesling, which is correct. THE BEST GRÜNER VELTLINERS ARE THE BEST VALUES IN THE Austrian Wine Laws WORLD FOR GREAT WHITE WINE. I mean big dry white wine. And Grüner Veltliner is unique and No great detail here, as this stuff bores me as much incomparable. It adds to what we can know about wine. as it does you. The headline is, this is the toughest and most enlightened (or least unenlightened) wine law in Riesling the world, as it had to be in the slipstream of the glycol Riesling makes virtually every one of Austria’s matter. greatest dry white wines, which is to say many of the There’s a discernable trend away from the world’s greatest dry whites. GrüVe comes close, but whole ripeness-pyramid thing. Most growers don’t seem Riesling always stretches just that little bit higher. That’s to care whether it’s a Kabinett or a Qualitätswein or because Riesling is the best wine grape in the world, of whatever; they think in terms of regular and reserve, either color. And because Riesling enjoys life in Austria. or they have an internal vineyard hierarchy. So I follow Great Austrian Riesling is unique. Austrian their lead. I am possibly a bit too casual about it all. But I growers won’t plant it where it doesn’t thrive. It’s don’t care either. The dry wines are all below 9 grams per almost always grown in primary rock, a volcanic liter of residual sugar, so you can tell how ripe the wine (metamorphic/ igneous) derivative you rarely see in is by its alcohol. If there’s a vineyard-wine it’s because the similar form or concentration elsewhere in Europe. site gives special flavors. And old-vines cuvées are trés chic. These soils contain schist (fractured granite), shinola (just Austrian labels have to indicate the wine’s residual checking you’re actually paying attention), mica, silica, sugar. They’re actually a bit off-the-deep-end on this even weathered basalt and sandstone. Riesling’s usually issue. There’s a grower in my portfolio almost all of grown on terraces or other high ground. whose wines have a little RS. This is deliberate. The wines It’s about the size of Alsace wine, but with a flower all are fabulously successful, and nobody finds them “sweet.” its own. And there’s no minerality on the same planet as But another wise sage voiced a note of caution. Other these wines. And there’s sometimes such a complexity of growers (said the voice) notice this man’s success, and tropical fruits you’d think you’d accidentally mixed Catoir they imitate his style so they too can be successful. But with Boxler in your glass. they do a facile imitation of the most superficial aspect

of the style, i.e. the few grams of residual sugar, and the Reference Gelber Muskateller next thing you know our Austrian wines are once again Only in Austria (and Germany) are they required headed in the wrong direction. Don’t get me wrong (he to distinguish between this, a.k.a. Muscat a Petit Grains continued), I like the wines; they’re not my style but or Muscat Lunel and its less refined but more perfumey they’re good wines. But everyone doesn’t have this man’s cousin the Muscat Ottonel. Most Alsace “Muscat” blends talent. And so in a sense his wines are dangerous. the two, and usually Ottonel dominates. Such are the terms of the debate! “Yellow” Muscat has become trendy in Austria, much Here’s my take on it. To focus on a vision of to my delight, because I dote on this variety. It ripens late absolute purity as an Ideal will create unintended and holds onto brisk acidity; it isn’t easy to grow, but oh mischief. Will do and has done. Every grower’s goal the results it gives! In good hands the wines are something should be to produce the most delicious, harmonious and like the keenest mountainstream Riesling you ever had characterful wine he can. If that means zero sugar some from a glass stuffed with orange blossoms. years, 3 grams in others and 6 grams in others then that’s I’m offering every single one I could get my what it means. “Oh but then we’d have to manipulate greedy hands on. Here’s what I have. Unscrew that cap, the wine,” they retort. But this is fatuous. Winemaking

73 is ipso facto manipulation. We are talking about degrees typicity, distinctiveness and integrity. They will say, of manipulations, and which are acceptable under which as Austria strives to both emerge from an earlier era of circumstances in the service of what. “We would prefer an mediocrity and to join the mainstream of Fine European unattractive wine than one which we have confected into wines, it is time for an appellation system to be established. attractiveness by manipulating its sugar” is a reasonable I will reply, as we see how these systems ramify in case to make, provided one has the courage to accept the practice, we also see the ways they can strait-jacket a consequences of making unattractive wines. What too wine culture, can inhibit visionary thinking and retard many do, sadly, is to sell unattractiveness as virtuous, in a innovation. There is a constant ongoing tension between fine example of Orwelian doublespeak. protecting that which has proven to be a region’s most Remember, I’m not advocating the addition of profound mode of expression—such as Sangiovese in flavor, but rather the preservation of flavor already Brunello, for example—while also permitting a sense of there. A modicum of sweetness does not obtrude upon questing and exploration. Sometimes it works very well, a wine’s character—it was in the grape, after all— and sometimes it stifles people, and to the extent the laws provided the producer guarantees this with his palate. are ignored, they become relics of irrelevance. Most of us know how much is too much. So, while I Why, then, would the Austrians willingly take that respect the underlying scruple the growers espouse, they risk? What does it add? I think it appeals to their pride. err in making this an ethical issue. It is instead either a And I think that the pride is justified; after all, what wine pragmatic or an aesthetic issue, or both. culture has accomplished what Austria has, in just the last But maybe a little empathy is called for. I arrived right 27 years? in the creative heat of the wine-renaissance in Austria, But the DAC fixes something that isn’t broken, and am less sensitive to the dubious past that preceded something that is actually vital and healthy, and the “cure” it, but which the growers remember. After the War and for the non-existent disease has serious risks of its own. into the ‘70s Austrian wine was usually a pale imitation of It attempts to codify the facts on the ground. Ask German, but cheaper. Co-ops and négociants controlled yourselves why. How is your world improved by codifying the market, and integrity was an endangered species. these things? Sweetness sold, especially when it was used to add a “The Kamptal is best known for its outstanding spurious prettiness to overcropped insipid wine. When Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings, though other varieties do Austrian growers experienced a rebirth of passion and well there.” That’s what the books will tell you. How is idealism, they also wanted to distinguish themselves by that not enough?? breaking ways with the past, and so they favored dry wines And now? The “Kamptal DAC” permits only Grüner with mass and vinosity. I do understand their wariness Veltliner and Riesling, insists the wines be dry, and insists about residual sugar; the slope doesn’t look as slippery on minimum alcohol levels. That’s a new bunch of stuff to me because I have never fallen down it. That said, you, poor drinker, has to memorize, and which has added enough time has passed that they can lay aside their fear, nothing at all useful for you. Indeed, if Hiedler could because the dogmatic opposition to homeopathic bits of always sell his Sauvignon Blanc with “Kamptal” on the RS is taking potential beauty away from their wines, and label, because that’s where it grew, then how is your life making them less flexible at the table. improved by his now having to declassify the Sauv-B to “Niederösterreich”—which you now must also learn the

Reference DAC meaning of—because the variety isn’t approved for the Kamptal-DAC? And just what does this acronym mean? It means “Don’t Learning the facts is enough. Having to learn how a ask, Charlie,” because I’m not going to answer you. This bureaucrat or a marketing guy has catalogued the facts is may seem churlish, but I am truly annoyed. I published an a waste of your time. article in WORLD OF FINE WINE that detailed why. To my justly proud Austrian friends: do not show Some growers agree with me, and I suspect others do but your pride by clamoring to be included in an already hesitate to speak out. So, in a nutshell, this is the pith of my existing system. Show it by saying “We have no need for dismay. the existing appellation systems or to imitate them here DAC, however laudable its aims (and to a certain extent at home. We will instead evolve new systems that will they are), is essentially a bureaucratic and abstract construct, preserve the gains we have made and will keep alive the the results of which add nothing to the facts on the ground, spirit of adventure that make ours unique among Old- only adding to the drinker’s burden, because now he needs World wine cultures.” to learn not only the facts, but the bureaucratic system So, I will not refer to “DAC” unless it is the actual of categorizing them. And if the DAC is modeled after name of the wine. Then we have to use it. But if it’s appellation laws in France or Italy, one does well to ask how merely a useless appendix to an already complete name, usefully those laws are working out. we’re going to ignore it. Hiedler’s Grüner Veltliner Thal They will say that every grown up wine culture has is not improved by being called Grünern Veltliner Thal codified an appellation system in order to guarantee Kamptal DAC.

74 Core List Wines Hard Core List

2012 Glatzer Sauvignon Blanc Schüttenberg // AGL-173 27

2012 Schwarzböck Grüner Veltliner Vier Gärten // ASB-046 32

2012 Hofer Grüner Veltliner Von den Rieden // AHF-058 34

2012 Ecker Grüner Veltliner von Stokstal // AEC-064 39

2011 Ecker Zweigelt “Brillant” // AEC-057 39

2012 Berger Riesling Spiegel // ABG-130 44

2012 Berger Grüner Veltliner “White Stone” // ABG-131 44

Core List

2010 Prieler Blaufränkisch Ried Johanneshöhe // AEP-087 14

2011 Prieler Blaufränkisch Ried Johanneshöhe // AEP-095 14

2012 Sattler St. Laurent // AST-046 20

2012 Sattler Zweigelt // AST-047 20

2012 Glatzer Grüner Veltliner // AGL-166 26

2012 Glatzer Zweigelt “Riedencuvée” // AGL-167 27

2012 Glatzer Blaufränkisch // AGL-168 27

2012 Hofer Grüner Veltliner Freiberg // AHF-057 34

2012 Ott Grüner Veltliner Am Berg // AOT-020 41 Reference

2012 Berger Grüner Veltliner, 1L // ABG-128L 44

2012 Nigl Grüner Veltliner Freiheit // AFN-209 46

2012 Nigl Riesling Dornleiten // AFN-210 47

2012 Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner “Kamptaler Terrassen” // ABY-279 51

2012 Willi Bründlmayer Riesling “Kamptaler Terrassen” // ABY-277 52

2012 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Steinsetz // AZZ-192 56

2012 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling “Gobelsburger” // AZZ-190 57

75 Core List Wines (continued) Core List (continued)

2012 Hiedler Grüner Veltliner “Löss” // AHL-185 59

2011 Hiedler Grüner Veltliner Thal // AHL-176 59

2012 Hirsch Grüner Veltliner // AWH-106 62

2012 Hirsch Grüner Veltliner Heiligenstein // AWH-102 62

2012 Hirsch Riesling Zobing // AWH-111 62

2012 Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner “Hefeabzug” // ANK-120 69

Reference

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