Weingut Hirsch Lamm Gruner Veltliner 2015
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Wine & Spirits
Lamm, a vineyard of loess and loam that Johannes Hirsch farms biodynamically, is often one of his more open and giving cuvees. The 2015, however, plays it close to the vest for the first day, entirely pleasurable in its plush texture and sweet fruit, but not showing much complexity. Then, boom-the next day the acidity emerges with the tension of a piano wire, sending the flavors rippling from tongue to toes. Peach, apricot, lemon blossom, stone-the wine lasts with vibrancy, and for days afteer opening.
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Wine Enthusiast
Nettle and yarrow, dried hay flowers and spice on the nose promise a lively, savory palate which indeed follows. All the spice is wrapped up with generous yellow and juicy pear fruit and goes down a treat. This is mellow and fruity, spicy, rounded and fresh: quite simply a joy to drink.
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Wine Spectator
A firmly structured white, with notes of lentil, apple and chopped hazelnut mingling midpalate, while the acidity cuts through and envelops accents of toasted herbs on the detailed finish
Hirsch takes full advantage of the distinct terroirs found in the Lamm, Gaisberg and Heiligenstein vineyards. Johannes farms his vineyards sustainably and biodynamically and is certified by RESPEKT! Natural efforts have been made to ensure physiologically ripe grapes including high density planting, low trellising, canopy management and handpicking.
Fun to say and delightfully easy to drink, Grüner Veltliner calls Austria its homeland. While some easily quaffable Grüners come in a one-liter—a convenient size—many high caliber single vineyard bottlings can benefit from cellar aging. Somm Secret—About 75% of the world’s Grüner Veltliner comes from Austria but the variety is gaining ground in other countries, namely Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States.
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.