JZ. Velue Muskateller 2022

Wine Description for JZ. Velue Muskateller 2022 by Johannes Zillinger

Colour & Appearance

Slightly hazy, pale straw yellow – the subtle cloudiness an honest testament to natural winemaking, without cosmetic embellishment in the cellar.

Nose

The nose seduces with an intoxicating floral overture: jasmine, lilac and rose petals open the play, before citrus in the form of limequat zest and fresh juice enliven the scene. Beneath lie delicate notes of green and yellow apple, lichen on wet stone and dried herbs – an aromatic world that is both playful and serious.

Palate

On the palate, the wine initially unfolds playfully light and juicy, before revealing surprising depth: piquant notes of bitter orange peel, wild herbs and stone lend it character and substance. The skin contact has given the wine a fine tactile texture – a silky grip that enlivens the palate without burdening it.

Finish

The acidity, initially restrained and mature-seeming, gains considerable momentum towards the finale and leaves a fresh, agile finish with a mineral aftertaste. Long, precise and invigorating.

Terroir & Origin

The name Velue refers to the old place name of Velm-Goetzendorf in Lower Austria’s Weinviertel – a region known for its loess soils and continental climate. The willows that give the wine its name, lining the village streams, tell of a landscape that is reflected in the wine.

Grape Variety & Vinification

A selection of all Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains vineyard sites from Zillinger. The grapes were hand-harvested on 12 September 2022, foot-trodden and left on the skins for six hours. After pressing, spontaneous fermentation took place; the wine was aged for seven months on the lees in used tonneaux and stainless steel. Bottled with merely 35 mg total sulphur – a wine that shows trust in nature.

Food Pairing Recommendations

Ideal with polenta strudel with mushrooms, whose earthy mushroom notes beautifully mirror the wine’s mineral side. Equally convincing with glass noodle salad with coriander, lime and chilli – the wine’s citrus notes interweave seamlessly. Also a refreshing, lively accompaniment to chicken tacos with mango-lime salsa.

Special Characteristics

With only 10.5 % vol. alcohol and one gramme of residual sugar, this Muskateller embodies the opposite of heaviness and opulence. Johannes Zillinger succeeds in shaping an independent, intellectually stimulating wine from an ostensibly agreeable variety – a quiet provocation against the mainstream.