Grüner Veltliner Riede Steiner Schreck „Dritter Akt“ unfiltriert 2020

Wine Description for Grüner Veltliner Riede Steiner Schreck „Dritter Akt“ Unfiltered 2020 by HM Lang

Colour & Appearance

Medium straw yellow, unfiltered and therefore displaying natural texture.

Nose

Ageing in large wooden cask imparts this Grüner Veltliner with an unusually warm, exotic aromatics. Young pineapple and yellow-fleshed stone fruits meet yeast autolysis aromas and lanolin. Yet the wine remains true to its character: bright, clear, with delicate herbal notes and citrus freshness that form the foundation.

Palate

Here the true complexity of the Dritter Akt reveals itself. The acidity builds precise pressure, yet appears silkier and more supple through the wood ageing than in Lang’s other Grüner Veltliners. Citric notes and green pineapple dominate, whilst fine tannin lends the wine additional structure. Mouth-filling and salt-driven, with a charming creamy texture that perfectly balances the tension between acidity, minerality and tannin. Highly complex, still in its infancy – this wine requires time.

Finish

Long, mineral and with sustained freshness. The saline minerality lingers for considerable time.

Terroir & Origin

From the steep vineyard site Steiner Schreck near Krems, where hundred-year-old rootstocks stand on narrow terraces of Gföhler gneiss and granite at 320 metres above sea level. The 2.4-metre canopy height and demeter-certified viticulture create optimal conditions for physiological ripeness at moderate alcohol.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Early harvest on 9 September 2020 at pH 3.0 yields lean 10.5% alcohol. Extremely slow pressing over two days on a 100-tonne wooden press, deliberate oxidation following reductive pressing. Spontaneous fermentation with 5-6% whole berries (intercellular) at constant 9°C. Two years‘ ageing on full lees in large wooden cask, minimal sulphiting, unfiltered bottling in November 2022.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Red mullet with pineapple-melon salsa, asparagus rösti with fried egg, brown crabs with coriander, ginger and lime. The exotic fruit and saline minerality harmonise perfectly with shellfish and spicy Asian flavours.

Special Characteristics

The only Grüner Veltliner from HM Lang that is aged entirely in large wooden cask. Extremely low alcohol content with full physiological ripeness – a masterpiece of precise harvest decision-making and biodynamic vineyard work.