Grüner Veltliner Riede Steiner Schreck „Kalt und Klar“ unfiltriert 2019

Wine Description for Grüner Veltliner Riede Steiner Schreck „Kalt und Klar“ Unfiltered 2019 by HM Lang

Colour & Appearance

Luminous golden yellow in the glass, unfiltered and with natural cloudiness – a wine that makes no attempt to hide its authenticity.

Nose

Patience is rewarded: after sufficient aeration, a creamy-herbaceous bouquet of remarkable complexity unfolds. Lemon curd and salt-preserved lemons meet green plums and celery. These are joined by white pepper, wet stone with petrichor, a hint of flint and blonde tobacco. The aromatics feel cool, precise and crystalline in structure.

Palate

Here the true greatness of this wine reveals itself: with just 11.5% alcohol, it presents itself as remarkably powerful, dense and juicy. The citric freshness is carried by tonic tension, whilst ripe pineapple, mineral notes of wood and stone and a pronounced salinity come together in harmonious balance. Nothing is missing – quite the opposite: the wine impressively demonstrates that intensity is not dependent on alcohol.

Finish

Long, mineral and saline, with lingering freshness and impressive complexity. The wine concludes cool and clear.

Terroir & Origin

The Riede Steiner Schreck in Krems ranks among Austria’s top vineyard sites. Extremely steep terraced vineyards with only four to five metres depth on Gföller gneiss and granite. The vine roots are 100 years old and are managed according to Demeter standards – with an unusually high canopy of 2.4 metres.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Early harvest on 4 September 2019 secured the low alcohol levels. Two-day, extremely slow pressing on a self-designed 100-tonne wooden press, initially reductive, then deliberate oxidation. Spontaneous fermentation with 3-5% destemmed grapes for continuous fermentation impulses at constant 9°C. 30 months ageing on full lees in a 670-litre wooden barrel, bottled unfiltered in March 2022.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Pan-fried char, veal brisket, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, goat’s cheese, steamed vegetables or herb risotto.

Special Characteristics

A radical departure from the mainstream: low alcohol, unfiltered, oxidatively aged – and yet of impressive freshness and density. A wine that needs time to breathe and deserves time to be understood.