Weingut Tegernseerhof at Oxford University Wine Society
http://www.tegernseerhof.at/
It always seems to me that the wines of Austria are rather over-looked in the UK other than by those in-the-know. Some excellent wines are out there, with interesting styles and grapes, but you have to dig around to find them and they aren't always cheap.
So it was with great interest that I joined this tasting hosted by Martin Mittelbach from the family behind Weingut Tegernseerhof in the Wachau, one of the key premium wine producing regions in Austria.
This winery is completely new to me, but has vineyard holdings in some of the most renowned Wachau areas including Loibenberg, Steinertal and Kellerberg – mainly stoney terraced vineyards, although with some holdings on the flats by the Danube river. Currently run by the sixth-generation of the family, the emphasis is very much on quality wines and they produce approx 120-150,000 bottles/year.
The Wachau is a blend of the Pannonian and Atlantic climates. Stretching 20Km east to west there is a 1.5C average temperature difference across the region, with similar variation in humidity and rain. The majority of wines are of the 'Smaragd' category, the highest quality level from the ripest grapes.
These wines are very well suited to Asian cusine; overall I was impressed by the quality of these white wines.
Their UK importer is www.stevensgarnier.co.uk/
Frauenweingarten Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2010
Medium-pale yellow. Open nose with classic soft pepper characteristics. Fresh spritzig palate. Quite full, mineralic and weighty on the palate. Short-medium finish. High acid. Classy stuff. 15-16/20.
Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner 2007
Medium yellow. Started off quite sulphur-eggy, but this lifted. Vegetal character. Body weighty, high acid, real weight behind this. Persistent with good length. Pepper and some nutty character. Full bodied. Seemingly high alcohol, a little hot initially. Would suit Asian cuisine well. 16.5/20.
Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner 2009
Pale medium-yellow. More floral and pepper nose. Lemon grass. Lighter in character. Something slightly creamy about this, malolactic? Softer on the palate too, but still relatively full bodied. High acidity. Perceptible alcohol. Medium finish. Prefer this to the 2007.
Steinertal Riesling 2007
Medium-deep yellow. Very open nose – steely! Mineral, petrol notes, a little mature character. Power and weight with a medium finish. Akin to liquid stone! 13.3% alcohol, but that doesn't come across. Really excellent stuff. Easily has another 10-15 years of aging ahead of it. 17+/20.
Steinertal Riesling 2009
Pale yellow. Classic young Austrian Riesling nose – all blossom, white fruits, very open. Similar palate, very fragrant and youthful. Good acid. Lighter alcohol at 12.6%, and this is discenerable in the lighter body in this wine. Clearly has ageing potential of a decade in front of it but right now I prefer the 2007. 16/20.
Kellerberg Riesling 2007
Kellerberg is one of the most famous vineyards in Austria. Medium yellow. Slightly lighter nose than the Steinertal wines. Less weighty, perfumed and complex. Certainly softer, seems to offer up a bit less of everything to my palate. In all other aspects it is similar in character to the previous Rieslings – still an excellent wine, perhaps I had just expected more. 16/20.
Kellerberg Riesling 2009
Pale yellow. Huge blossom character. Good acidity and as you would expect less aged character than the previous wines. Very youthful, poised. 16/20.
Riesling Creation 2008
Mix of vineyards, hence a 'creation'. Some bought in grapes too. 14.8% alcohol (!) with 18g/l residual sugar. For me this wine is not at all balanced. Too much right now. What is it trying to be?! Too much in the glass. Apparently this has 20-30 years of life ahead of it, and from the monumental power that comes across from this right now I can believe that. It has some stuffing in it, but I cannot imagine how it will change and develop in that time. Something I would love to come back and taste in future to follow its progress as it develops in the bottle.
http://www.tegernseerhof.at/
It always seems to me that the wines of Austria are rather over-looked in the UK other than by those in-the-know. Some excellent wines are out there, with interesting styles and grapes, but you have to dig around to find them and they aren't always cheap.
So it was with great interest that I joined this tasting hosted by Martin Mittelbach from the family behind Weingut Tegernseerhof in the Wachau, one of the key premium wine producing regions in Austria.
This winery is completely new to me, but has vineyard holdings in some of the most renowned Wachau areas including Loibenberg, Steinertal and Kellerberg – mainly stoney terraced vineyards, although with some holdings on the flats by the Danube river. Currently run by the sixth-generation of the family, the emphasis is very much on quality wines and they produce approx 120-150,000 bottles/year.
The Wachau is a blend of the Pannonian and Atlantic climates. Stretching 20Km east to west there is a 1.5C average temperature difference across the region, with similar variation in humidity and rain. The majority of wines are of the 'Smaragd' category, the highest quality level from the ripest grapes.
These wines are very well suited to Asian cusine; overall I was impressed by the quality of these white wines.
Their UK importer is www.stevensgarnier.co.uk/
Frauenweingarten Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2010
Medium-pale yellow. Open nose with classic soft pepper characteristics. Fresh spritzig palate. Quite full, mineralic and weighty on the palate. Short-medium finish. High acid. Classy stuff. 15-16/20.
Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner 2007
Medium yellow. Started off quite sulphur-eggy, but this lifted. Vegetal character. Body weighty, high acid, real weight behind this. Persistent with good length. Pepper and some nutty character. Full bodied. Seemingly high alcohol, a little hot initially. Would suit Asian cuisine well. 16.5/20.
Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner 2009
Pale medium-yellow. More floral and pepper nose. Lemon grass. Lighter in character. Something slightly creamy about this, malolactic? Softer on the palate too, but still relatively full bodied. High acidity. Perceptible alcohol. Medium finish. Prefer this to the 2007.
Steinertal Riesling 2007
Medium-deep yellow. Very open nose – steely! Mineral, petrol notes, a little mature character. Power and weight with a medium finish. Akin to liquid stone! 13.3% alcohol, but that doesn't come across. Really excellent stuff. Easily has another 10-15 years of aging ahead of it. 17+/20.
Steinertal Riesling 2009
Pale yellow. Classic young Austrian Riesling nose – all blossom, white fruits, very open. Similar palate, very fragrant and youthful. Good acid. Lighter alcohol at 12.6%, and this is discenerable in the lighter body in this wine. Clearly has ageing potential of a decade in front of it but right now I prefer the 2007. 16/20.
Kellerberg Riesling 2007
Kellerberg is one of the most famous vineyards in Austria. Medium yellow. Slightly lighter nose than the Steinertal wines. Less weighty, perfumed and complex. Certainly softer, seems to offer up a bit less of everything to my palate. In all other aspects it is similar in character to the previous Rieslings – still an excellent wine, perhaps I had just expected more. 16/20.
Kellerberg Riesling 2009
Pale yellow. Huge blossom character. Good acidity and as you would expect less aged character than the previous wines. Very youthful, poised. 16/20.
Riesling Creation 2008
Mix of vineyards, hence a 'creation'. Some bought in grapes too. 14.8% alcohol (!) with 18g/l residual sugar. For me this wine is not at all balanced. Too much right now. What is it trying to be?! Too much in the glass. Apparently this has 20-30 years of life ahead of it, and from the monumental power that comes across from this right now I can believe that. It has some stuffing in it, but I cannot imagine how it will change and develop in that time. Something I would love to come back and taste in future to follow its progress as it develops in the bottle.
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