Grüner Veltliner Ried Steinberg 1.ÖTW 2024

Tasting Notes for Grüner Veltliner Ried Steinberg 1.ÖTW 2024 from Fritsch

Colour & Appearance

A succulent, luminous lemon yellow with delicate green reflections – clear, brilliant and vibrant in the glass.

Nose

The wine opens calmly and almost discreetly before revealing its true depth. Free from superficial primary fruit, a cool weave of lemon balm, wheatgrass, chervil and lemon thyme dominates. Subtle hints of white peach, Nashi pear and a touch of passion fruit flash through behind, consistently led by a stony clarity.

Palate

On the palate, it reveals a sinewy, energetic structure with gripping acidity. The texture feels savoury and chalky. Herbal flavours such as parsley and lemon balm meet ethereal notes of fennel and aniseed. A cool, focused body without any perceptible over-ripeness.

Finish

Long-lasting and taut, the mineral energy extends deep into the finish. The delicate tannic structure provides noticeable grip and a bone-dry, refreshing finale.

Terroir & Origin

Sourced from the Ried Steinberg, classified as a Premier Cru (1.ÖTW) site in the Wagram region. Here, the vines grow on schist and granite combined with lime-rich soils, bestowing the Grüner Veltliner with a pronounced mineral tension and longevity. Karl Fritsch has been farming the estate biodynamically since 2006.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Grüner Veltliner. To counter the exceptionally warm harvest conditions of 2024, skin contact was extended; the tannins extracted as a result support the acidity. Following spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine aged initially for six months on the full lees and a further five months on the fine lees.

Food Pairings

Pairs excellently with pan-fried pike-perch on herb risotto, classic boiled beef (Tafelspitz) with chive sauce, Wiener Schnitzel, as well as dishes featuring fresh fennel or goats’ cheese.

Particularities

Characterised by the signature style of the respekt-BIODYN growers’ association: an uncompromisingly herbal, almost ascetic Grüner Veltliner that defines its balance in 2024 through fine tannins rather than superficial fruit.