Edinburgh Wine Club

Wine

Year

Grape

Region

%

Supplier

Price        

Comments

Ranking

Prieler, Seeburg Vineyard

2010

Pinot Blanc

Neusiedlersee, Burgenland

12.5

Waitrose

£10.49

Jancis Robinson(Purple Pages)
"As for pinot blanc in Burgenland, the champion here is PRIELER, and both his and several of the other most interesting dry pinot blancs are from the breezy, hilly run-off of the Leithagebirge rather than from along the Neusiedlersee."

Expressive bouquet of pear, apple, and almond; multi-facetted palate with refreshing acid and salty minerals forming an elegant structure; plenty of finesse and substance and a very long and nicely concentrated finish.

Fresh, flavourful and dry. The ripe flavours of pear and lemon, and crisp acidity, make this versatile with food. Try this with a Thai green chicken curry.

Heinrich Hartl, Rotgipfler

2008

Rotgipfler

Thermenregion, Niederosterreich

13

Waitrose

£15.66

Med-dry,fresh,spicy,lemon & lime,seam of ginger &white pepper. On lees 5mths. Silver award from Decanter(2010)

Heidi Schrock Weinbauerin (Viniculture) Heidi Schrock, Rust

2007

Furmint

Neusiedlersee- Hugelland

13.5

Nick Dobson

£18

Parker 91 points.

Mitanaud Eliz Hausgnost, Guntersdorf. Wein & Genuss

2010

Gruner Veltliner

Weinvertel, Niederosterreich

12.5

Nick Dobson

£11.50

Oz Clarke 55^th out of 250 Best Wines 2012

A very pale golden yellow, almost water-white. Classic GV nose, with creamy minerality, a hint of cracked white pepper- but perhaps less than is typical for GV - and some green cress, On the palate an up-front creamy texture, again with pronounced minerality, some pepper, taut green flavours, green-tea notes, and good concentration of primary fruit balanced by a crisp green apple and citrus acidity and just the slightest hint of spritz. Quite expressive in the mid-palate, with decent length, and a hint of green herbs on the finish.This wine was selected by Oz Clarke for inclusion in the 2012 edition of his "250 Best Wines" guide - weighing in at number 55 out of 250, where the following description appears:-"A lady called Elisabeth Hausgnost makes this. She calls her business Wein und Genuss, ‘wine and fun’, which makes me think I should look her up next time I’m in Vienna. This isn’t a typical peppery Grüner Veltliner: it has a hint of spritz, good juicy green apple flesh squirted with lemon and then, wow, a touch of papaya, some ogen melon, is that wisteria? Intriguing. And, don’t tell me, strudel pastry softness. I need to arrange a visit."

Willi Brundlemayer Reid Kaferberg

2006

Gruner Veltliner

Kamptal,

Niederosterreich

12.5

Wine Society

£29

From at top producer.

The soil of this single vineyard is different than any other site on our estate and similar to Chateau Petrus in Pomerol. Situated on a rise of marine deposits 300 m above sea level this exposed soil decomposed over the ages to create sandy clay. This soil produces an extremely potent wine, but is difficult to work. Necessary ploughing can be done only during certain periods, when it is neither too dry nor too wet.

This vineyard, although perfectly suited for red wine, also bears old Grüner Veltliner vines that produce wines with a unique weight, concentration, and extract sweetness. This wine is usually fermented in used (2-3 years old) 300 liter Austrian oak barrels. For further maturation, it is racked into 2500 l casks (also 2-3 years old).

Yield: 2500 liter per hectare

Alcohol: 13.5 %  -  Acidity: 5.2 g  -  dry.

Tasting Notes:-Wonderful intensive nose: acacia flowers, grapefruit, cooked apricots and pears, delicate honey aromas with peppery spice, sappy and powerful, tightly structured, with charming exotic fruit on the palate (pineapples and citrus fruits, appetizing extract sweetness, well-balanced, very good length and a mineral peppery finish, promising immense aging potential).

Food pairing:
matches ideally with a number of exotic dishes like curry and stir-fried dishes; also typical Austrian dishes like Wiener Schnitzel, and roasted goose, duck, or pork; goose or duck liver with vegetables and fruit; calf’s liver with apples and onions.

Domaine Wachau, Achleiten, Smaragd

2009

Riesling

Wachau, Niederosterreich

13.5

Waitrose

£18.04

Smaragd is the highest category of Vinea Wachau, similar to dry Spatlese; often complex and powerful. Wachau wines are classified in three bands: Steinfeder (light and racy), Federspiel (elegant and with body) and Smaragd (highly ripe and powerful) is the highest category similar to dry Spatlese. The Grüner Veltliner and Riesling have given the wines of this area their astonishing reputation.The wines of Domäne Wachau are said to be among Austria's finest.
Achleiten is a legendary vineyard in the Wachau village of Weissenkirchen. It is famous for wines with inimitable mineral character. Dry stone walls dating back to the 12th century, which mount the steep slopes with their silicate-rich soil, dominate this vineyard’s landscape.

Tasting Note
Bright straw yellow with golden highlights. Capacious aromas of struck matches, quince, wild flowers and fresh apricot. Good concentration on the palate, the fine boned, bright acidity perfectly balances the wine. A superb wine, long and lingering finish displaying a pronounced mineral character.Riesling Achleiten is counted among the most age-worthy wines of the Wachau. It required some time to open up but remains fresh and racy even after 10 years. Well chilled at 9°C, the wine perfectly accompanies the sophisticated international cuisine, fish, roasts, pigeon and quail as well as mature cheeses.

Weingut Hofbauer Halblehen

2007

Neuburger

Weinvertel

14

Nick Dobson

£12

Ludwig Hofbauer. Vineyard next to Czech border. Everything Neuburger shouldn't be! Neuburger is a grape with relatively low acidity, and poorer examples can seem rather flat and flabby. Not this one - possibly the best everyday Neuburger I've tasted - it has an aromatic nose, floral, with rose petals and some minerals, and on the palate a real buzz - there's a lot going on in this wine - it's very full-bodied, with tropical flavours, and a real liveliness and bite, good acidity, and a little spritz, followed with minerals, hazlenuts, and a hint of honey on the long finish. This is a serious wine at an everyday wine price, very pleasant indeed, good on its own or with food - try it with freshwater fish, schnitzel, or white meats - it partners well with pork chops.

Schilcher Langegg,  Weingut Langmann , St Stefan ob Stainz

(Rosé)

2010

Blauer Wildbacher

Weststeiermark

12.5

Nick Dobson

£14.40

Rose wine from indigenous grapes. An a local taste or an acquired one. Top prize for a Schilcher at Landstieger 2011 Competition. A fabulous neon pink, with intense aromas of red berry fruit (raspberries, strawberries) and gooseberry. Rich berry fruit on the palate balances good acidity, and there's a hint of citrus zest. Very good length. Very fresh, drink chilled on its own or with salads, grilled meats, or lightly spiced dishes.

Gerhard & Brigitte Pittnauer, Dorflagen

2008

St Laurent

Neusiedlersee

13

Wine Society

£13.95

The St. Laurent grape's part pinot noir heritage (no-one is quite sure about the rest) shows in this lovely savoury wine which has complexity, grip and good texture and freshness on the palate.

Fieler-Artinger, Rust

2008

Blaufrankisch

Neusiedlersee

13

Waitrose

£10.44

2006

Zweigelt

Traismauer-Wagram

14

Nick Dobson

£10

This wine was selected for the OZ CLARKE 250 BEST WINES 2010 guide - in which the following description appears:-

"Zweigelt is a smashing grape, but it's almost unheard of outside it's native Austria. It's delicious and peppery when it's not quite ripe, but so long as you don't spoil it with too much oak, you can ripen it right up and keep it's character. This is dark purple and the flavour is bursting with fruit and spice - cranberry, red cherry, raspberry and plum, with hints of ginger and allspice and a dryness of stones and wood bark that keeps the wine cool and northern, and leaves the impression of ripe red fruit grown in a forest glade."

Zull,  ‘Lust & Laune’ (Joy & Fun), Schrattenthal

2008

Blauer Portugueser

Weinviertel

12.5

Nick Dobson

£12

Good value. Slightly chill when young.

A classic Blauer Portugieser from Zull; nice depth of colour, with creamy fruit and some spice on the nose, good body, dry, soft, and fruity with soft gentle tannins and good length. Good value for money.

Freigut Thallern, Ried Pfennigcker

2003

Blauburgunder

(Pinot Noir)

Thermenregion

13

Nick Dobson

£12.60

This wine comes from a small vineyard just outside Gumpoldskirchen,  a property owned by the Cistertian Monastery at Heiligenkreuez, and which has been making wine since 1141. It doesn't get much more traditional than that!

The wine is matured for 12 months in large oak barrels before bottling. A deep violet colour, with a jammy nose, with notes of cassis and loganberry. On the palate it's dry, with plenty of dark fruit and nice soft tannins. Long dry fruity finish. Keeps up to 10 years. A great value for money wine.

Beerenauslese Heidi Schröck Weinbau Heidi Schröck, Rust 

2007

Welschriesling/Weissburgunder

Neusiedlersee- Hugelland

12

Nick Dobson

£21 per 37.5 cl

A lovely BA (Beerenauslese) made from Pinot Blanc and Welschriesling; a limpid pale golden yellow, with white flowers, a hint of yeast, and botrytis on the nose. On the palate it's warm and sumptuous, with lots of honey, a little citrus, and it's immensely long - with some hints of walking through cornfields and freshly baked bread. A slightly herbal note on the finish. A lovely drink - on its own, or with sweet puddings. A super wine from one of Austria's top sweet-wine producers. Fantastic value for money for wine of this quality.