Winemaker Notes
This Riesling comes from parts of the Pfaffenberg, lower terraces below the Schreck and from sites across the river in the Wachau. 100% spontaneously fermented in stainless steel and raised on the lees, with 2% whole grapes, for nine months in stainless steel and 5% in neutral oak.
Vegan-Friendly
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A wonderfully light-footed, charming and elegant introduction to Austrian dry riesling! Plenty of aromatic pear and ripe-apricot fruit with a touch of honeysuckle. Excellent balance of fruit and acidity, the finish long and stony.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced 60% in the Braunsdorfer (gneiss), 20% in the Goldberg (loess) and 20% in the Kremsleithn (conglomerate) and aged in stainless steel (90%) and large oak (10%), the 2021 Kremstal Riesling Handwerk is bright and pure on the still young and yeasty nose that delivers notes of crushed crystalline rocks but also charming fruit aromas reminiscent of Veltliner (or loess) and sur lie aging for almost a year (with 5% whole berries in the tank). On the palate, this is a round, savory and juicy Riesling with crystalline and saline acidity, herbal notes such as oregano and a dense and aromatic finish. This is a very elegant and seriously structured Riesling on a much higher level than I remember many former vintages.
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.
The region of considerable geologic diversity and microclimates, Kremstal extends virtually without border east from Wachau along the Danube River. Its magnificent terraced and rocky vineyards in the west alongside Wachau include some of Austria’s most esteemed Riesling vineyards, the (Steiner) Hund and Pfaffenberg, as well as Kögl and Wachtberg nearer to the city of Krems. After Krems, the vineyards become excessively steep upstream around Senftenberg where Riesling and Grüner Veltliner thrive. Grüner Veltliner does best from here east where the soils become a mix of sand, gravel and loess.
Grüner Veltliner and Riesling together comprise two thirds of all of the Kremstal vineyards; the region itself represents about five percent of Austria’s total vineyard area.