Bottler: Heinrich Winery, Baumgarten 60, A-7122 Gols / Austria
In the glass
Colour
Bright, sparkling ruby red.
Nose
Tart berries such as raspberry, redcurrant, sour cherry and cassis, accompanied by delicate herbal spice and unusual roasted notes of coffee beans; becoming increasingly expressive with air.
Palate
Linear and juicy with pronounced sour cherry fruit, a slender body, lively acidity and noticeable astringency; the finish reveals berry fruits, red fruit tea and lovage.
Character
A Pinot Noir for the initiated and open-minded – light, easy to drink and enormously inviting, with fine minerality and marked length.
Pairing
Pan-fried prawns with tomato essence and mustard greens, beetroot carpaccio with fromage blanc, or venison loin tartare with pistachio cream.
Notes
From the Demeter-certified Weingut Heinrich – a founding member of respekt-BIODYN – which has been farming biodynamically since 2006 and vinifies in the cellar using gravity rather than pumps; the Freyheit line embodies Gernot Heinrich’s experimental, uncompromising signature style.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Bright ruby red, shimmering in the glass and immediately demanding attention.
Nose
Initially restrained, almost closed – the typical Heinrich reduction suggests a lean, racy red wine. With air, a fascinating bouquet opens up: raspberry, redcurrant and sour cherry vie with dark cassis fruit. Fine herbal spice and unusual roasted coffee aromas lend depth and complexity.
Palate
Direct and straightforward on the attack, then sour cherry fruit takes centre stage. The balance of juiciness, firm acidity and a lean body is convincing. Noticeable astringency provides dynamism and encourages drinking. Light-footed, easy to digest, with clear minerality forming its backbone.
Finish
Long and precise: red berry fruits combine with fruit tea and lovage in a lingering finish that remains on the palate for minutes.
Terroir & origin
Gernot and Heike Heinrich have expanded their estate in Gols on Lake Neusiedl from two to one hundred hectares – plot by plot, often acquiring the stony, challenging vineyard sites that others had abandoned. Cool limestone from the Leitha Mountains and warmer gravel soils of the Parndorf Plateau shape the spectrum. They have farmed biodynamically since 2006, are Demeter-certified and founding members of respekt-BIODYN.
Grape variety & vinification
Pinot Noir from the Freyheit line – Gernot’s experimental playground for wines of character. In the cellar, gravity reigns: no pumps, no stress for the wine. Maturation takes place in clay amphorae and used wooden casks from local cooper Klaus Pauscha, which allow the wine to breathe rather than overwhelm it.
Food recommendations
Its juicy acidity and lean structure make it an ideal partner for pan-fried prawns with tomato essence, beetroot carpaccio with fromage blanc or venison loin tartare with pistachio cream.
Special characteristics
A Pinot Noir that makes no compromises: bone-dry, markedly reductive, with unusual roasted aromas. Not a wine for beginners, but for those seeking tension and precision. The combination of amphora ageing and biodynamic viticulture demonstrates where Austrian red wine can go.
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