2000-Vintage Austrian Wine Offer
| It is difficult to generalise about the 2000 vintage in Austria, as wines vary greatly in terms of style and quality, even within very small growing regions such as the Wachau. Weatherwise, the year seemed quite straightforward until October, with a healthy homogeneous flowering, and a warm, dry Summer through to September. October brought rain and humidity, and this, coupled with the continuing warmth encouraged the growth of botrytis.
For Emmerich Knoll and Willi Brundlmayer, it was indeed a year of botrytis, and while Knoll's wines reflect this phenomenon, already revealing the added depth and concentration that it brings, Willi's painstaking selection of non-botrytised grapes resulted in a range of pure, elegant, fruit and flower driven wines.
The botrytised grapes were used for the latepicked styles, which will be ready for tasting at a later date. For FX Pichler, whose vines lie in between those of Willi and Emmerich, they simply didn't have enough time to till the soil around the vines before the rains came, which meant that the ground was less able to absorb the excess water, which ran off the surface to be absorbed further down the slopes. No botrytis here, just wines of monumental purity, power and elegance.
Nikolaihof were also spared, owing to the fact that their grapes had already reached optimum ripeness a month earlier that usual and were harvested before the wet weather. Whether it be because of chance, choice or the inevitability of the elements, the range on offer from our growers for the year 2000, is interesting in its variety, and satisfying in its quality.
This has been a very good year across the board, which is probably the only generalisation that can be made about it.
All wines offered under bond in cases of 12 bottles unless otherwise stated below.
For full terms please see below Further information on these vintages and also on all the 2000 wines below is available on request, (address at foot of page).
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EMMERICH KNOLL, UNTERLOIBEN
Emmerich now has 12 hectares of vines, having expanded his property a little, and Gruner Veltliner and Riesling still predominate. The flowering came early in 2000, and was quite homogeneous. September was warm and dry, followed by a period of rain and warmth in the first week of October, encouraging the appearance of botrytis on the grapes. As a result of this wines made from grapes harvested after this period have typical botrytis characteristics, which are more or less marked according to the cuvee. Technically speaking, acidity levels are lower than average, but this is not evident when tasting the wines, as the great balance between structure and acidity ensure that they are certainly not limp, flabby specimens which fall flat on the palate.
| Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2000: |
12/75cl |
£90 Ibd |
A simple, varietal nose giving off the classic aromas of white pepper and spring blossoms. The level of acidity matches the style of the wine, which is gentle and flattering, and the finish is slightly sweet.
| Ried Kreutles Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£90 Ibd |
This wine smells remarkably like a good Tokay Pinot Gris from Alsace. There is more spice, both on the nose and palate, and the texture is rich and soft. As the grapes were harvested during the rainy period, a touch of botrytis is detectable on the palate, which adds a further layer of interest to a very enjoyable wine.
| 'Vinothekfullung' Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£229 Ibd |
This wine is made from a selection of the ripest, least botrytised grapes from three prime vineyard sites, (Kreutles, Schutt and Loibenberg), and its finesse reflects this careful process. We are clearly moving up a gear with this wine, which is both complex and well balanced. The nose is dominated by citrus fruits and pepper, and the palate is rich,, and layers with ripe fruit. The acidity is more marked, which has the effect of taming the vibrant, ripe fruit, and making the finish refined and long.
| Gruner Veltliner Beerenauslese 2000: |
12/50cl |
£249 Ibd |
Yet again, Emmerich has triumphed with his highly regarded Beerenauslese wines. This Gruner Veltliner smells of pure, sweet, concentrated fruits, which are barely affected by the hint of botrytis lurking in the background, adding a little extra complexity. The finish is long and fine, completing a really super wine.
| Ried Pfaffenberg Riesling Kabinett 2000: |
12/75cl |
£150 Ibd |
The Pfaffenberg vineyard site lies outside the Wachau delimited area, so Knoll has to revert to German nomenclature. With its poor, stony soil, it tends to produce wines with a bit more backbone, in the form of a marked, mineral undertone. This 2000 is no exception. Slightly spicy fruits on the nose, with a steely, well-structured mouthfeel and long finish, gives it a more masculine profile than all of the preceding wines. Very good.
| Ried Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£195 Ibd |
The loamy soils of the Loibenberg site tend to produce fatter wines with more intensity of fruit than elsewhere. Once again, the wine has remained true to its vineyard in 2000, with a plumper, more luxurious profile than the Pfaffenberg. The nose is of lime and summer flowers, and the palate is full, with ripe fruits and a touch of botrytis. Despite the fatter style, the finish is elegant and gentle.
| Ried Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£228 Ibd |
Although the Kellerberg site has similar soil-types to the Pfaffenberg, it faces more towards the east, and tends to produce wines with a higher acidity and stricter profile, whilst sharing the mineral characteristics. The bouquet is an elegant mixture of spice and delicate, white summer flowers, whilst the palate packs a powerful, mineral punch which wakens the taste– buds. Botrytis is detectable, which adds a touch of sensuality and creaminess mid-palate, but the finish remains crisp and linear. Excellent.
| Ried Schutt Riesling Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£210 Ibd |
At the time of tasting, this Riesling was not yet in bottle, and it clearly needs some time to settle down before a true test of its worth is possible. However, despite the yeasty, unknit nose, this wine already has bags to offer. It is certainly a powerful wine, with spice and zest on the nose, a well-textured mouthfeel and , a dry finish. Intense minerality and the somewhat `loose' connection between all the elements suggest that this will be a wine well worth waiting for. A potentially great wine.
| Riesling Beerenauslese 2000: |
12/50cl |
£297 Ibd |
Out of all the late-picked cuvees, the Beerenauslese style seems to be the most successful, and within that category, it is certainly this Riesling which was extra-ordinary. Bursting with intense fruit, yet remaining elegant and well-structured thanks to the good acidity levels, this really is a fabulous wine - and the taste seems to last forever.
F.X. PICHLER, LOIBEN
F.X. continues to be a legendary and enigmatic figure in Austria, but one whose wines we are beginning to know a little better. The wines are exceedingly good across the range, and 2000 is going to be without doubt another highly successful vintage. As was mentioned in the introduction, the lucky oversight in the vineyard spared them the trouble of having to deal with botrytis-affected grapes. The healthy breeze, combined with the fact that a lot of foliage was removed also helped. For the Pichlers, this is possibly the best vintage for the last ten years.
| Sauvignon Blanc Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£180 Ibd |
A Pichler Sauvignon Blanc 1994, a wine of whose existence we were hitherto unaware, surprised us with its intense, cassis and grapefruit nose, its depth of flavour, and its resemblance to Domaine de Chevalier white. From that moment we did all we could to secure an allocation of the 2000 vintage, particularly since they think it is superior to the wonderful 1994.
| Gruner Veltliner Loibner Klostersatz Federspiel: |
12/75cl |
£108 Ibd |
A typical white pepper nose, with a touch of sweet melon, followed by a dry, mineral palate, smooth texture and good length. Very good.
| Gruner Veltliner Loibner Berg Smaragd: |
12/75cl |
£210 Ibd |
This wine is intense and spicy on the nose, and also quite floral, while the palate in deep, rich and expressive, with excellent texture and length. Stunning.
| Gruner Veltliner Durnsteiner Kellerberg Smaragd: |
12/75cl |
£279 Ibd |
Quite exotic on the nose, with pineapple and mango, spice and tobacco. Complex palate, and smoothly textured.
| Gruner Veldiner 'M' Smaragd 2000: |
6/75cl |
£180 Ibd |
Ripe pineapple and lychee on the nose, powerful and extremely persistent on the palate, with delicious and intense minerality. Extremely fine and elegant, despite its whacking 15% alcohol.
| Riesling Von den Terrassen Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£195 Ibd |
This Riesling smells of citrus fruits and white peach, it has depth and freshness on the palate, and a minerality which gives it a steely, rapier like consistency. The finish is long.
| Riesling Loibner Berg Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£267 Ibd |
Intense and masculine nose, with hints of petrol, licorice and exotic fruit; rich and creamy mouth layered with creamy fruit, and a fresh acidity to finish. This wine is always very popular, and usually has the edge on Steinertal, although it is perhaps more understated than usual.
| Riesling Steinertal Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£231 Ibd |
Aniseed and spice on the nose, and a mouthfeel which is more mineral and. less voluptuous than the Loibner Berg, and a very long, subtle finish. The quality of fruit, acidity and texture are already there, but this is certainly a wine that will become more complex with some bottle age. Very fine.
| Riesling Kellerberg Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£285 Ibd |
This wine is one of elegantly restrained power, and has huge potential. White peach and spice on the nose, with a stunning, silky smooth texture on the palate, a touch of minerality, and lovely burst of flavour immediately after the wine has left the mouth. This should be exceptional.
| Riesling Unendlich 2000: |
6/75cl |
£255 Ibd |
Writing tasting notes for the Pichler wines this year has been difficult, as the quality is so consistently good that the generous use of superlatives may diminish their effect on our customers. This is why, after all the wines just described, the job becomes even more difficult. If a wine most deserving of superlatives had to be chosen, it would have to be the `Unendlich', which means `never-ending': all elements of the other Rieslings are there, but on a grander scale. Lemon, vanilla, spice, and rose on the nose, with a pure, concentrated mouthfeel and amazing intensity. This is perhaps their best `Unendlich' yet, and should be approached with extreme caution owing to its `superlative' level of alcohol. It would be wise to wait at least a year before drinking.
WILLI BRUNDLMAYER, LANGENLOIS
| Langenloiser Berg Vogelsang Gruner Veltliner: |
12/75cl |
£84 Ibd |
This is a pleasurable, good value for money wine. It smells of vine-flowers, is very feminine, and has a very slight mineral edge.
| Gruner Veltliner Alte Reben 2000: |
12/75cl |
£138 Ibd |
Although this grows on adjacent vines, the G.V. Alte Reben has a different profile to the previous wine. This is probably down to the extra clay and loam present in the soil, and the fact that the slope is more exposed towards the east than at Langenloiser Berg Vogelsang. The mouthfeel is richer and more powerful and the finish is lively, if not terribly long.
| Gruner Veltliner Ried Kaferberg 2000: |
12/75cl |
£159 Ibd |
We move up a rung on the ladder of quality with this delightfully floral Ried Kaferberg. The nose is very expressive, dominated by the smell of roses, with a slightly smoky undertone. The texture is silky smooth, and the floral nature of the wine is reinforced in the palate. Elegant and long, this is a real pleasure.
| Riesling Steinmassel 2000 Trocken: |
12/75cl |
£105 Ibd |
This wine has a lovely floral nose, with a steely texture and good acidity on the palate. The finish is long, and despite the fact that this is not hugely complex, it is a very pleasurable, elegant drink and great value.
| Riesling Zobinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben 2000: |
12/75cl |
£180 Ibd |
The Zobinger Heiligenstein is Willi's most interesting vineyard site, as it grows on the famous `Heiligenstein', which is composed of volcanic deposits and sandstone, which rose to the surface during the last tectonic movement. Because the stone is soft, vine roots are able to penetrate deep into the ground in search of water, which gives more intensity of flavour and resistance to both water deprivation and excess. The vines are trained in the `Lyre' method, which opens up the foliage and encourages maximum photosynthes is and keeps the grapes healthy and aerated without being over-exposed to the harsh rays of the sun. The nose is zesty and spicy, and smells of irises is full bloom. Rich and creamy in the mouth, with a good mineral backbone, this wine will be wonderful after a little bottle age.
NIKOLAIHOF, MAUTERN
As regular customers are probably aware, Nikolaihof in Mautern is Austria's oldest winery, dating back to 985. Nikolaus and Christine Saahs farm their 20 hectares using bio-dynamic methods, and their vines - some of which are over 50 years old - produce highly concentrated, pure wines which age extremely well. The 2000 vintage is a great success, and Nikolaus even goes as far as saying that it is possibly the vintage of the century, by which we hope he means the last, as any judgement about this one is perhaps a little premature. The harvest started a month earlier than usual, the grapes having already optimum physiological ripeness. This meant that they avoided the rainfall which caused so many problems to other growers in the region. The wines, as always, were disturbed as little as possible during their time in barrel, and the results are excellent.
| Im Weingebirge Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£168 Ibd |
Classic Gruner Veltliner nose, tending towards the exotic, with gentle spice and ripe fruits. The texture is smooth and velvety and somewhat Condrieu-like, and the finish is very long.
| Vom Stein Riesling Smaragd 2000: |
12/75cl |
£195 Ibd |
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6/150cl |
£210 Ibd |
The nose of this Riesling is so delicately floral, that the effect is more like rosewater than the actual flowers themselves. The palate is very silky and elegant, and the finish is long. A very harmonious, complete wine. Very fine indeed.
| Steiner Hund Riesling Spatlese Trocken 2000: |
12/75cl |
£207 Ibd |
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6/150cl |
£222 Ibd |
This is a monster of a wine, more about earth and stone than fruit or flower. Relatively closed on the nose for the time being, the attack in the mouth is round and rich, and then comes the power. Acidity is very good, and the finish is long and powerful, if somewhat unforgiving. Slight licorice at the end of the palate.
WEINGUT ROMAN & ADELHEID PFAFFL, STETTEN
2000 was a difficult vintage for the Pfaffls, who found it difficult to cope with the excessive rainfall during September. Acidity levels are quite low, but there are a few wines which stand out above the rest. All are extra-ordinary value for money:
| Gruner Veltliner Haidviertal 2000: |
12/75cl |
£66 Ibd |
Nice, peppery nose, with hint of roses, followed by a ripe and creamy mouthfeel and better acidity and concentration than a number of more expensive Gruner Veltliners! Amazing value.
| Gruner Veltliner Hundsleiten/Sandtal 2000: |
12/75cl |
£78 Ibd |
More peppery. Finer yet more concentrated with excellent steely edge and mineral fruit. Spicy, aromatic and complex with a good follow through on the palate. Has finesse and length.
| Riesling Terrassen Sonnleiten 2000: |
12/75cl |
£87 Ibd |
The appearance of this Riesling is bright and clear, and the nose is very floral, with a peppery undertone. After a slight drop in intensity, the flavour comes back on the finish, which is exuberant and slightly sweet.
| Sauvignon Blanc Exklusiv 2000: |
12/75cl |
£87 Ibd |
We are pleased that Roman has decided to use less oak for his Sauvignon this year, as last year we felt that the varietal flavour was overpowered by the wood. Good, grassy, varietal nose, yet with an unusual note of ash, followed by a sound mouth, and fine length.
| Blauer Zweigelt 2000: |
12/75cl |
£69 Ibd |
With its bright, purplish-red robe, and its earthy, damson and pepper nose, this red wine makes one think of the Italian Barbera Nero grape variety. The creamy texture in the mouth, the well-integrated tannins and the length of flavour simply confirm expectations and make this into an immensely enjoyable, old-fashioned wine. |
TERMS OF OFFER
1. Prices are in £ per dozen bottles in bond delivered to Edinburgh, Scotland. Onward delivery charges (if applicable) to customers' addresses will be charged at cost.
2. Wines are all offered subject to availability and prices are subject to alteration.
3.Terms are cash with order: the total in bond price quoted above is due now. The duty and VAT charges (at the prevailing rates at time of shipment) are due when wine has been shipped and cleared from our bonded warehouse (approx end of 2003). Current duty rate is £13.92 per case of 12 bottles x 75cl and the current rate of VAT is 17.5% (which, on clearance of wine from our bond, will be applied to the total cost of the wine above including the appropriate amount of duty).
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