An uncompromisingly dry natural wine from the Austrian Weinviertel, impressing with herbal spiciness, marked salinity and vertical energy – a distinctive Riesling full of depth and structure.
34,00 €45,33 € / l
Incl. VAT where applicable
In stock.Fast shipping via DHL or DHL Express. Securely packed and insured against breakage and loss.
Bottler: Johannes Zillinger organic winery, Landstrasse 70, A-2245 Velm-Götzendorf / Austria
In the glass
Colour
Rich golden yellow with bright reflections, revealing ripeness, concentration and its distinctive maturation.
Nose
Exceptionally complex, with Mediterranean herbal notes of marjoram, lemon thyme, lemon balm and tarragon, alongside turmeric, curry, saffron and multifaceted fennel. Apricot, vineyard peach and nectarine meet whitecurrant, bergamot, blood orange and candied orange zest, underpinned by white pepper, roasted hazelnut and delicate honeyed aromas.
Palate
Uncompromisingly dry and taut with impressive inner tension. A pronounced salinity carries through to a minutes-long finish, supported by elevated, precise acidity. Fine phenolics and stimulating bitter compounds create a grippy astringency, whilst a subtle creaminess elegantly cushions the pressure. An iron-rich, almost bloody minerality conveys extraordinary depth.
Character
A wine brimming with energy, sense of place and personality, building on drive and clarity rather than breadth. A vertical style with tremendous drinkability – serious, demanding and of impressive presence.
Pairing
Grilled fennel with citrus fruits, Asian dishes with ginger and herbs, matured hard cheese.
Notes
Spontaneous fermentation and skin contact in Georgian qvevri, months of ageing on the lees, bottled unfiltered and unfined – the NUMEN line stands for minimal intervention and maximum terroir transparency. Demeter-certified from biodynamic viticulture.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Deep golden yellow with bright reflections – a robe that heralds the concentration and distinctive maturation of this Riesling even in the glass.
Nose
A bouquet of rare density that deliberately places fruit in the background. Initially, an almost Mediterranean herbal world: marjoram, lemon thyme, lemon balm, dried tarragon. Then spices – turmeric, saffron, curry – and fennel in all its facets, from the fresh bulb to the flower. Behind this, yellow fruit emerges: apricot, vineyard peach, along with bergamot, blood orange and candied orange zest. Cubeb pepper, roasted hazelnut and a honeyed warmth complete the complex picture – without ever seeming sweet.
Palate
Uncompromisingly dry, taut, with impressive inner tension. A pronounced salinity runs from the first impression deep into the finish, supported by elevated, racy acidity. Fine phenolics and stimulating bitter compounds lend grip and make the mouth water; a subtle creaminess elegantly cushions the pressure. The wine builds not through breadth but through drive – vertical, energetic, ferruginous, almost rusty-mineral in its profound precision.
Finish
Long, salty, with a presence that lingers for minutes, impressively underscoring the seriousness of this Riesling.
Terroir & origin
The estate’s 23 hectares lie on limestone-sandstone soils around Velm-Götzendorf in the southeastern Weinviertel. Trees and shrubs on the eastern edges of the vineyards act as natural climate buffers; sheep, Kunekune pigs and chickens loosen and fertilise the soil.
Grape variety & vinification
Riesling, vinified according to the credo of the NUMEN line: wild fermentation, maturation with minimal intervention, bottled unfiltered and unfined. Since Zillinger’s trip to Georgia in 2011, his wines have been made in kvevri and amphorae as well as large oak and acacia casks – wild-fermented, minimally sulphured.
Food recommendations
The herbal and spicy aromatics call for grilled vegetables with fennel, sole in beurre blanc or venison with juniper jus. The wine also shows its structural strength alongside curry dishes or matured hard cheese.
Special features
NUMEN – Latin for the spirit of a place – represents Zillinger’s most radical signature. Demeter-certified, using home-grown herbs for vineyard treatments. His conclusion: “Nature paints the most beautiful pictures; we merely frame these works of art.”
