Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
rom 40-year-old vines trained in the lyra system, Bründlmayer's 2018 Riesling Zöbinger Ried Heiligenstein Lyra 1ÖTW is a true challenge at this stage, young and tight as it is. Pure, clear, fresh, precise and deeply mineral on the concentrated, lemon-scented and coolish/earthy nose, with its notes of crushed herbs, stones and ripe (white) stone fruits, this is a full-bodied, intense, round and elegant Heiligenstein with freshness, crystalline acidity and a tight structure that gives lots of tension but keeps the finesse and elegance. The finish is highly promising in its dense and concentrated, only rudimental juicy character, which is as tight and tensioned as only a very few whites from Lower Austria are. In its unapproachable but promising character, this Heiligenstein Riesling reminds me of the great South Styrian wines from Armin Tement, even though the terroir and grape variety are completely different. Although I tasted this in July 2019 and several times and from different glasses in October, it's still hard to rate this wine, which is possibly one of the greatest Heiligensteins in the era of Willy Bründlmayer. Rating: 95+
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James Suckling
Attractive aromas and flavors of lime, green apple and some pear and just a hint of steel and mineral. Light herbs. Very subtle. It’s medium-bodied, creamy and bright. Very long and tight. Drinkable now, but needs three to four years [from 2020] to open.
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.