SW Beerenauslese 2018 375ml

Wine Description for SW Beerenauslese 2018 375ml by Velich

Colour & Appearance

Deep amber with luminous orange and copper reflections – already in the glass a promise of richness and depth. The viscosity is remarkable: when swirled, thick, sluggish rivulets trail down the glass wall.

Nose

Intense, complex and of striking concentration. Candied orange peel and dried apricots dominate the first encounter, followed by figs, dates and fresh notes of pear and peach. Between these flashes sweet apple, nestled in a warm layer of honey-roasted Piedmont hazelnuts and white nougat with pistachios. Spicy accents of ginger, cardamom and cinnamon lend the nose a fascinating oriental depth.

Palate

What the nose promises, the palate delivers with conviction. The aromatics intensify further – this wine demands to be chewed. The deep, opulent sweetness is held in sovereign balance by a lively, perfectly integrated acidity. The backbone is firm, the texture silky-oily. A captivating melange of concentrated fruit and spice notes carries the wine with elegance and power in equal measure.

Finish

Long, very long – and with a surprising twist: in the finale, a hint of salt mingles with the sweetness, as if a piece of Breton salted caramel were at play. A finish that refuses to end and lingers for minutes after the final sip.

Terroir & Origin

The abbreviation SW stands for Seewinkel – that magical region on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland’s Pannonia. The vines are rooted in predominantly sandy soils, and the lake itself regularly provides its characteristic autumn mist, which brings about the botrytis infection that makes these wines possible. Lake Neusiedl is considered one of the world’s most reliable addresses for noble sweet wines.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Chardonnay, affected by Botrytis cinerea and harvested as Beerenauslese. Heinz Velich is among the few winemakers in the region who consistently age their sweet wines in used barriques on the lees – a decision that imparts additional complexity, structure and that creamy texture which makes it so distinctive. At 14.0 % vol., it displays considerable richness.

Special Features

A solitary gem in the half bottle: the 375 ml bottling is the classic, venerable format for great sweet wines – concentrated, precious, perfectly proportioned. This wine is no mere companion, it is an event. The 2018 vintage was an extraordinary year in Burgenland with ideal conditions for highly concentrated botrytis rarities.