There’s much to know about Austria and it’s wines, but here in the Great White North we call Ontario we see very little of them (wines, not Austrians). Visitors to the LCBO will notice that the stores don’t have an Austrian section, is it because the demand just isn’t there? It certainly isn’t because there isn’t enough choice.
Some things you may not have known …
Austria has 16 recognized areas for wine making located in one of 4 major states: Steiermark (in the south-east), Burgenland (eastern border), Niederosterreich (to the north) and Wien (Vienna). There are 35, or so, different grape varieties grown – mostly whites – with Gruner-Veltliner, Zweigelt, Welschriesling and Muller-Thurgau being the top four grape varieties, with only the Zweigelt being red.
The Wines …
At an Austrian event you have to think summer, because many of their wines are made to drink on those balmy days. Today well over 200 wines were on display and being poured – so you can see it’s not due to lack of choice that we Ontarians aren’t seeing many Austrian wines … but maybe that will soon change, as some LCBO buyer’s were spotted lurking about during the event. Let’s see if I can’t help them along with their decisions.
Best Wine …
With so many whites to choose from it’s hard to pick out just one that stands above all the others, or at least I thought that until I tried the Rabl Vinum Optimum Riesling 2007 (#24.95 – private order) – mineral, petrol, peach and apricot were distinct on the nose, while the taste was more fruit driven with great mineral flavours and a fine acidity backbone.
Go for the Gruner …
I started the day trying to get a handle on Gruner – with it being the most widely recognized grape variety Austria-wide and is made by everybody; it wasn’t hard to find one to try. But there are so many different styles that it’s hard to pin-point just what Gruner is. Thus I came to the determination that Gruner is the Chardonnnay of Austria: easily manipulated into what the winemaker wants. By definition Gruner is suppose to be peppery, spicy and predominantly dry … but that’s not always what I found.
On the LCBO’s general list you’ll find the Winzer Krems Gruner for $11, which is light and fruity with a pleasant lime finish. There are also still a few bottles left of the Laurenz V. 2006 Friendly Gruner available at Vintages, I liked that one last year and I like the 2007 version of the same wine again this year. Light and fruity with great tropical nuances and pleasant minerality … a great summer sipper, let’s hope the LCBO has the good sense to bring it in again.
With Gruner making up almost 40% of the grapes grown in Austria there are quite a few wineries that make Gruner in a variety of styles all under one roof; much in the same way that Cave Spring here in Ontario makes 7 Rieslings. I tried two from Weingut Leth – the Klassik with its pineapple fruit smell followed by its sharp clean, crisp tropical taste; and the Brunnthal Reserve, with its fuller body and more minerally taste. Weingut Felsner had three on their table; my favourite was the medium-bodied Moosburgerin with its Riesling-like nose, citrus, bruised apple taste and a great lengthy finish.
One Winery – Three Wines …
Weingut Brundlmayer was rated “Best Austrian Winery of the last 25 years” by Wine & Spirits Magazine and after tasting through the 6 wines they had on display you could taste why. Sure they had simple Gruner, but the 2006 Alte Reben from old vines (retail ~$60) was stunning, lots of peachy-minerality that lingered on the tongue. Three Rieslings were on offer of which the 2006 Zobinger Heiligenstein (sourced from what is widely recognized as one of the best vineyards in Austria) had great acidity, citrus flavour, minerality up the ying-yang and very tasty. Finally, the only red that I truly said “wow” to on this day (but I will fully admit to only trying a handful) was the 2003 Ried Ladner St. Laurent – this was one serious wine: good red and black fruit, good wood flavouring with vanilla nuances.
Other Wines of Choice …
A couple of other wines that made the grade were the Durnberg 2007 WeiBburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Select Klassik ($16) – light tropical fruit this wine had lots of class and taste … with the sun beating down, and 17 degrees outside I wanted to take this one out to the patio. Weinkellerei Lenz Moser made a wine that tasted exactly like the old Trident fruit gum that used to come in the orange package (old school gum chewers will remember), the wine is an apricot sparkling called “Mariandl”, a 6.5% sipper you could enjoy all the time, any time.
Something to Skoff at …
Weingut Walter Skoff is the “Austrian leader” in Sauvignon Blanc, interesting to see this variety in and amongst all the Gruner, Riesling and Zweigelt. Skoff produces 7 different varieties and styles of this grape. Typical that I would pick the blend as my favourite, a mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Welschriesling that would have been a perfect match for the weather heating up outside – fresh, crisp, fruity and delicious.
It’s the Pitz …
Willi Opitz that is – what a character. You gotta love a guy who calls a wine “Opitz One”, a delicious dessert wine with great strawberry red fruit flavours … very yummy. Or who called his rosé “Pink Kiss” – a light refreshing wine with tons of berry flavours, especially raspberries and strawberries – the wine is made using Pinot Noir grapes. Look for his wonderful Red Cuvée in the April 26 Vintages release.
Some things you may not have known …
Austria has 16 recognized areas for wine making located in one of 4 major states: Steiermark (in the south-east), Burgenland (eastern border), Niederosterreich (to the north) and Wien (Vienna). There are 35, or so, different grape varieties grown – mostly whites – with Gruner-Veltliner, Zweigelt, Welschriesling and Muller-Thurgau being the top four grape varieties, with only the Zweigelt being red.
The Wines …
At an Austrian event you have to think summer, because many of their wines are made to drink on those balmy days. Today well over 200 wines were on display and being poured – so you can see it’s not due to lack of choice that we Ontarians aren’t seeing many Austrian wines … but maybe that will soon change, as some LCBO buyer’s were spotted lurking about during the event. Let’s see if I can’t help them along with their decisions.
Best Wine …
With so many whites to choose from it’s hard to pick out just one that stands above all the others, or at least I thought that until I tried the Rabl Vinum Optimum Riesling 2007 (#24.95 – private order) – mineral, petrol, peach and apricot were distinct on the nose, while the taste was more fruit driven with great mineral flavours and a fine acidity backbone.
Go for the Gruner …
I started the day trying to get a handle on Gruner – with it being the most widely recognized grape variety Austria-wide and is made by everybody; it wasn’t hard to find one to try. But there are so many different styles that it’s hard to pin-point just what Gruner is. Thus I came to the determination that Gruner is the Chardonnnay of Austria: easily manipulated into what the winemaker wants. By definition Gruner is suppose to be peppery, spicy and predominantly dry … but that’s not always what I found.
On the LCBO’s general list you’ll find the Winzer Krems Gruner for $11, which is light and fruity with a pleasant lime finish. There are also still a few bottles left of the Laurenz V. 2006 Friendly Gruner available at Vintages, I liked that one last year and I like the 2007 version of the same wine again this year. Light and fruity with great tropical nuances and pleasant minerality … a great summer sipper, let’s hope the LCBO has the good sense to bring it in again.
With Gruner making up almost 40% of the grapes grown in Austria there are quite a few wineries that make Gruner in a variety of styles all under one roof; much in the same way that Cave Spring here in Ontario makes 7 Rieslings. I tried two from Weingut Leth – the Klassik with its pineapple fruit smell followed by its sharp clean, crisp tropical taste; and the Brunnthal Reserve, with its fuller body and more minerally taste. Weingut Felsner had three on their table; my favourite was the medium-bodied Moosburgerin with its Riesling-like nose, citrus, bruised apple taste and a great lengthy finish.
One Winery – Three Wines …
Weingut Brundlmayer was rated “Best Austrian Winery of the last 25 years” by Wine & Spirits Magazine and after tasting through the 6 wines they had on display you could taste why. Sure they had simple Gruner, but the 2006 Alte Reben from old vines (retail ~$60) was stunning, lots of peachy-minerality that lingered on the tongue. Three Rieslings were on offer of which the 2006 Zobinger Heiligenstein (sourced from what is widely recognized as one of the best vineyards in Austria) had great acidity, citrus flavour, minerality up the ying-yang and very tasty. Finally, the only red that I truly said “wow” to on this day (but I will fully admit to only trying a handful) was the 2003 Ried Ladner St. Laurent – this was one serious wine: good red and black fruit, good wood flavouring with vanilla nuances.
Other Wines of Choice …
A couple of other wines that made the grade were the Durnberg 2007 WeiBburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Select Klassik ($16) – light tropical fruit this wine had lots of class and taste … with the sun beating down, and 17 degrees outside I wanted to take this one out to the patio. Weinkellerei Lenz Moser made a wine that tasted exactly like the old Trident fruit gum that used to come in the orange package (old school gum chewers will remember), the wine is an apricot sparkling called “Mariandl”, a 6.5% sipper you could enjoy all the time, any time.
Something to Skoff at …
Weingut Walter Skoff is the “Austrian leader” in Sauvignon Blanc, interesting to see this variety in and amongst all the Gruner, Riesling and Zweigelt. Skoff produces 7 different varieties and styles of this grape. Typical that I would pick the blend as my favourite, a mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Welschriesling that would have been a perfect match for the weather heating up outside – fresh, crisp, fruity and delicious.
It’s the Pitz …
Willi Opitz that is – what a character. You gotta love a guy who calls a wine “Opitz One”, a delicious dessert wine with great strawberry red fruit flavours … very yummy. Or who called his rosé “Pink Kiss” – a light refreshing wine with tons of berry flavours, especially raspberries and strawberries – the wine is made using Pinot Noir grapes. Look for his wonderful Red Cuvée in the April 26 Vintages release.
No comments:
Post a Comment