Grüner Veltliner Ried Steinberg 1.ÖTW 2024

Wine description for Grüner Veltliner Ried Steinberg 1.ÖTW 2024 by Hajszan Neumann

Colour & appearance

Bright lemon yellow with delicate, pale greenish reflections – clear and fresh in the glass.

Nose

Expressive and varietally pure: mirabelle plum, peach and nectarine, alongside green papaya and mango. Bergamot and lemon zest lend drive, while fennel, pea shoots and cress provide cool depth. With air, green apple and Nashi pear move to the fore. Beneath lies an impressive chalky minerality with cold smoke, plus white pepper and a whole herb bed: lemon thyme, chervil, marjoram, mint, coriander. Dense, profound, yet finely delineated.

Palate

Precise, slender, linear. Despite its density, the wine remains light-footed and transparent; the phenolic substance lends backbone, fine bitter compounds tension. The striking acidity (6.6 g/l) carries yellow fruit, herbs and vegetal notes in perfect balance; apple skin and pale flesh ensure an enticing flow. The Veltliner’s typical peppery spice leaves a lasting imprint on the cool, stony profile.

Finish

Long, bright, clear and clean – chalky-mineral and of remarkable elegance. A final chord that rarely brings power and finesse together so convincingly.

Terroir & origin

The Steinberg vineyard site in Grinzing borders directly onto the Wiener Nussberg – one of the capital’s most traditional winegrowing areas. The vines are rooted in weathered limestone formations with a high calcium content and some clay. The 2024 vintage delivered a moderate summer with welcome rain and mild late-summer temperatures – ideal conditions for a fresh, precise style.

Grape variety & vinification

A single-varietal Grüner Veltliner. After harvesting comes a short maceration of around six hours, then spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and ageing on the fine lees. No fining, no filtration – a pure interpretation of the vineyard site, dry at just 1.2 g/l residual sugar.

Food recommendations

A wine for Viennese cuisine and beyond: Wiener Schnitzel of veal, Tafelspitz with apple horseradish, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, grilled pike-perch or Asian dishes with lemongrass and coriander. Also a fine match for young alpine cheese.

Special features

Here Fritz Wieninger reveals his wild side: Hajszan Neumann is his natural wine experimental field on the Nussberg, respekt-BIODYN-certified and radically non-interventionist. That a 1.ÖTW single-vineyard wine can turn out so crystal-clear and precise without fining or filtration makes this Steinberg a thrilling counterpoint to every convention.