Vinothekfüllung Riesling 2024

This Vinothekfüllung comes from a selection of grapes from several outstanding plots around Unterloiben, in the Wachau valley. Classified Wachau DAC Loiben Smaragd, it brings together the expression of south-facing terraces between 260 and 350 metres above sea level, where primary gneiss soils are mixed in places with loess. The Loiben slopes, shaped by the Danube, give the Riesling remarkable mineral depth and sun-drenched ripeness.

The ripest grapes, partly affected by noble rot, are selected from the estate's best slopes and vinified dry. The harvest is done by hand. Ageing continues for nine months in large wooden casks, developing the depth and texture of the wine while preserving the radiance of the fruit and the mineral signature of the Loiben terroirs.

This wine reveals notes of candied lemon, mandarin, orange zest, nectarine, ripe peach, apricot, pineapple, melon, honeysuckle, blossom honey, coriander, candied ginger, Moroccan mint, blond tobacco and warm stone. The palate is broad, dense and silky, carried by fine, mineral acidity that stretches out the fruit. A saline touch, a delicate sweetness on the finish and great length reinforce its balance.

For more than ten years, Austrian winegrowing has made an enormous leap in terms of wine quality. Today Austrian winemakers no longer produce cheap wines for mass consumption, but refined and complex wines. 65% of Austria's wine is white. Broadly speaking, Austrian wines are more powerful and richer than those of their German neighbour. The great national and most widely planted grape variety is Grüner Veltliner (a native white grape variety). Red wine production continues to grow in volume as well as in intensity and quality. In Burgenland above all, producers make the most of an original mix of local grape varieties (Blaufränkisch, Sankt Laurent, Zweigelt) and French ones (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir). Austria's climate is essentially continental, with cold winters and hot summers. The country is subject to 4 main influences: continental influences from Pannonia to the east, Atlantic influences to the west as well as cold winds from the north, and Mediterranean influences to the south. The Danube, meandering languidly through many vineyards, creates numerous microclimates.