Winemaker Notes
Fragrant bouquet of white and yellow flowers (elder-acacia) with a twist of citrus peel, followed by some spice (anis, fennel) and mineral yeasty tones; starts fresh on the palate, balanced by a touch of residual sugar, very pure, fragrant and yet striking with its light fruit tones like fresh vineyard peaches, a crisp acidity backbone that highlights spice and minerals; this wine is elegant, slender, crisp and perfect in its youth for the summerly terraces but with potential for further maturing to a complete text book Riesling.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Vibrant yellow apple and mint aromas pour from the glass of this crisp and expressive dry Austrian riesling. Very fresh and energetic on the medium-bodied palate, with a straight lemony finish and a positive stony character. A cuvee of wines from young vines in the Heiligenstein, plus wines from the Steinmassel and Steinberg sites. From organically grown grapes.
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Wine Spectator
Sweet floral and peach notes spill out on a broad palate in this bone-dry version, powered by juicy lime peel acidity. A firming rush of mineral details cleans up the palate. Ends with whiffs of petrol and smoky flint. Drink now through 2031. 300 cases imported.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Climbing north and slightly east of the Kremstal region, Kamptal has very little vineyard area bordering the Danube River (unlike Wachau and Kremstal, whose vineyards run along it). The region takes its name from the river called Kamp, which traverses it north and south. Kamptal’s densely planted vineyards represent eight percent of Austria’s total.
The area experiences wide diurnal temperature variations like the Wachau but with less rain and more frost. Its vast geologic diversity makes it suitable for various experimentations with other varieties besides Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, St. Laurent and Zweigelt.
But the region is probably most noted for the beautiful and expansive terraced Heiligenstein, arguably one of the world’s top Riesling sites, as well as some of Austria’s most extraordinary Grüner Veltliner vineyards. Kamptal’s soils, which are mostly loess and sand with some gravel and rocks, make it suitable for Grüner Veltliner, so much so that actually half of the zone is planted to that grape.