Natural Muskateller 2022

Wine description for Natural Muskateller 2022 from Hajszan Neumann

Colour & appearance

Rich straw yellow with orange reflections and a subtle, silky-matt cloudiness - typical of an unadorned, unfiltered natural wine. The slightly cloudy appearance already signals the handcrafted authenticity of this wine.

Nose

This is an impressive demonstration of what mash fermentation can do to an aromatic variety such as Muscat: The typical varietal notes remain clearly recognisable, but appear tamed and focused. Nutmeg, Muscat grape and Rose fragrance merge with the spicy nuances of Allspice, Carnation and white pepper. These are joined by Dried apple rings and Quince - an aromatic complexity that goes far beyond conventional Muscat wines.

Palate

The wine reveals its true personality on the palate: it skilfully oscillates between floral, fruity and strikingly tart components. The distinctive phenolic flavour gives it a texture reminiscent of a slightly overdone Darjeeling tea a daring approach, but one that is perfectly realised here. The slightly bitter tannin has an animating rather than disruptive effect, the contours are clearly defined. Aromatically, the wine moves into spicy rather than fragrant-floral realms. With 12% alcohol, it remains elegant and easy to drink.

General information

The Natural Muskateller comes from the Neuberg vineyard on Vienna's Nussberg, where limestone-rich shell limestone weathering on a limestone subsoil provides mineral tension. The hand-picked grapes were crushed and fermented spontaneously in amphorae - a process that Hajszan Neumann has been perfecting since 2015. After racking, the wine matured for six weeks in stainless steel tanks, followed by four months of bottle ageing.

Food pairing suggestions

The spicy-tart structure makes this wine a versatile accompaniment to food: Moroccan vegetable tagine harmonises perfectly with the oriental spice notes, Fried white fish on mushroom risotto with quince beurre blanc reflects the quince flavour of the wine, and Lamb with quinces finds an equal partner in the tannin structure.

Special features

An exemplary natural wine that shows how mash fermentation does not mask aromatic grape varieties, but rather refines them. Unadorned, unfiltered and uncompromisingly honest - Hajszan Neumann delivers one of Austria's most successful orange wines.