Roter Veltliner Ried Steinberg 1.ÖTW 2023

Wine Description for Red Veltliner Ried Steinberg 1.ÖTW 2023 by Fritsch

Colour & Appearance

Medium straw yellow with brilliant clarity – a wine that already hints at its maturity and substance visually.

Nose

Fascinatingly complex, this rare Red Veltliner presents itself: ripe mirabelle plums and red apples meet blood orange zest and subtle berry notes. Remarkable is the almost creamy texture of the bouquet with almond cream, nuts, brioche and a fine honey trace – an aromatic density rarely found at this price point.

Palate

Here the wine reveals its true greatness: pronounced character with impressive power and substance. Herbal-piquant notes and smoke frame a ripe, yellow fruit. The spice typical of the Traminer-Silvaner family gives the wine its distinctive identity. The acidity is round yet clearly defined, with a fine tannin providing pleasant grip and structure.

Finish

Long, substantial and persistent – the herbal-spicy notes fade elegantly and leave a lasting impression of depth and complexity.

Terroir & Origin

The steep, south-east facing Ried Steinberg sits at 310 to 330 metres elevation. The heterogeneous subsoil of slate, loess and granite gives the wine its mineral tension and complexity – a terroir that significantly shapes the character of this rarity.

Grape Variety & Vinification

14-year-old vines of this rare variety (only 260 hectares remaining nationwide in Austria) were spontaneously fermented and aged in 2,000-litre acacia wood barrels. Interestingly, Red Veltliner is not related to Grüner Veltliner, though both descend from Savagnin (Traminer) – which explains the characteristic spice.

Food Pairing Recommendations

A wine for discerning pairings: roasted turbot, calf’s sweetbreads, morels in cream sauce, aged Comté or truffle risotto. The spice and structure also harmonise beautifully with Asian cuisine, such as dim sum or pan-fried monkfish with miso.

Special Features

An authentic ÖTW wine (Austrian Traditional Wine Estates) from one of Austria’s rarest autochthonous grape varieties – a piece of living wine culture with great ageing potential.