Heideboden Rot 2023

Wine description for Heideboden Rot 2023 by Nittnaus Anita & Hans

The Heideboden Rot 2023 is the wine that most immediately tells you where the Nittnaus family comes from: the warm, sun-drenched lowlands east of Lake Neusiedl around Gols. The permeable soils of this heathland give Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and Merlot room for depth rather than mere opulence. Since 2007, the estate has been farmed consistently according to biodynamic principles – with diverse cover crops between the vine rows, compost instead of artificial fertiliser and spontaneous fermentation in the cellar. Hans Nittnaus, who once gifted his brand name “Pannobile” to the winemakers’ association, puts it like this: the wine is not made, but accompanied. It is precisely this restraint that you can taste. The 2023 is an honest, spicy village wine with great drinkability – the everyday wine of a house that, with Comondor and Pannobile, has long belonged to Burgenland’s first league.

Colour & appearance

Dark violet-red, dense and youthful in the glass, with fine lightening towards the rim.

Nose

Intense and pleasingly austere: blackberry, elderberry and sloe meet dark plum compote. These are joined by distinctly spicy notes of green pepper, pepper, wood smoke and leather – with air, floral hints of violet and ivy emerge.

Palate

Juicy and straightforward, carried by refreshing acidity and earthy minerality. A stimulating herbal spiciness gives the wine contour – served cool, it shows itself to be remarkably agile for its dark fruit.

Finish

Spicy and lingering, with memories of pepper and bread crust – a dry, appetite-whetting finale.

Terroir & origin

The wine takes its name from the Heideboden near Gols, the flat, warm land east of Lake Neusiedl with its particularly permeable soils. The Nittnaus family has cultivated vineyards here since 1684; today the estate comprises 25 hectares between Gols and the Leithaberg region.

Grape varieties & vinification

A cuvée of Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and Merlot from hand-harvested grapes grown in biodynamically farmed, manually tended vineyards. Vinified dry at a moderate 13.5% vol.

Food recommendations

Slightly chilled, this is the ideal wine for hearty cuisine: Wiener Schnitzel of veal, beef goulash, grilled sausage and root vegetables or a robust mushroom stew with bread dumplings. Also a safe choice with spicy hard cheese.

Special features

A rarely honest entry-level wine: produced biodynamically, peppery and spicy rather than fruit-sweet, yet so easy-drinking that the bottle empties faster than you think.