Austria’s spectacular 2021s

This was picked early, to ensure that a Federspiel could be made. It’s cool on the nose, with notes of lemon sherbet, and then grapefruit and plenty of freshness. There’s outstanding minerality, and plenty of precision on the finish. This lingers. Lovely.

The altitude here means it is picked late: one part at the end of October, and the other parts on November 10th and 11th. The resulting wine is so complex and intense, with an explosive palate of apricots, sea spray, and so much freshness. This is incredibly ripe, but is impeccably balanced with intense acidity. It’s a spectacularly pure, long, wine: one of the best we’ve tried this year.

This is the largest production of the estate, from two plots at the top of the hill, Postaler and Gaisberg, and then one from the bottom of the hill. It balances the richness and power of the bottom of the hill with the freshness of the top. This is so precise with lovely weight, and there’s salinity, a slightly oily texture, and an almost sweet and sour character. There’s lots of spice on the long finish.

From the bottom of the Kollmitz hill, Spitaler is a single vineyard, and this cuvée comes from just the old vines here, which were planted in 1962. This is so energetic with dark spice and an earthy character. This has so much phenolic freshness, with lots of intense, creamy fruit. Voluminous in the mouth, it all comes back together on the finish.

Some of the vines here were planted in the 1950s, with a small portion in 2002. This is intense and stony, with more vibrant acidity than the Spitaler. It’s more angular in the mouth, with lots of wild flowers and plenty of nervy acidity. It needs time, but when it comes together it will be spectacular.

Klaus was planted in the early 50s and is situated next to Achleiten on Bodenstein's steepest vineyard sites that is a small 0.73 hectares. This wine is often quite strict in its profile until it has had some time in bottle, yet the 2021 is singing already. Red apple, lemon and grapefruit citrus combine with a steely and herbal note. White peach and jasmine aromas combine with a pithiness on the finish.

With over 70 terraces of vines in the highly regarded Achleiten vineyard in Weissenkirchen, this vineyard is extremely diverse with plantings over 60 years old. This wine always displays an attractive white blossom aroma with hints of citrus and pear. The palate has a weight and silkiness as well as having a steely character and crisp acidity that provides a linear profile.

Situated at the top of the Achleiten vineyard planted at 500 metres this wine is considered to be one of Prager's Grand Cru wines. Crazily the vineyard is made up of 110 different clones that helps produce wine that is so interesting and complex. There is a lot to happening in this wine and it will surely get better and better with time in bottle. Pear, white flowers, stony and flinty notes are supported by a ginger spice and phenolic grip on the palate. The concentration and length is sensational and this wine does not disappoint.

This comes from mineral vineyards, not from Loess. It’s delicate, with notes of iodine and then a floral element. The finish spreads out and then there’s a bitterness here, too. This is explosive and very pure. This is a spectacular Grüner. So much oyster shell on the finish, and brilliantly balanced. Love this: very driven style.

Seven different batches, then blended together. Have vines from bottom to very top of hill. Bottom much riper typically, while the top is focussed. Together they are greater than the sum of its parts. The nose here is beguiling. Quite restrained, there’s some floral and spice, while the palate is concentrated and powerful. It fills the palate, with weight and texture, this is muscular and complex, and spectacularly long. Oyster shell and spice and pure fruit. Astounding. But rare.

The ‘baby Heiligenstein’ is astonishing in 2021. There’s incredible richness to the fruit, and there’s a weight and density here. The palate has a purity and detail to the yellow fruit, and there’s a texture and expressiveness that goes on and on.

This comes from the vineyard at the bottom of the Gaisberg hill, where there’s Loess that comes down from that vineyard. It’s so intense, fine-boned and beautiful, with lots of minerality on the finish. A beautiful expression of Grüner.

This sees a little skin contact. It’s really textured, with incredible density. This fills the mouth, there’s a coolness here, but also explosive fruit, floral notes, and just a hint of herbal notes too. This is brilliant.

The estate’s highest plots - 350m altitude. Lighter soil, and picked two weeks later than the other Grüner plots. Very cool and floral, spicy with orange blossom. Smokiness and coolness, and then a herbal character. Lots of energy here, this is so long and finely judged.

Incredibly poor soils, where slate starts after just 50cm of hummus. Really savoury and intense. So much grip here, this is wonderfully balanced and pure, with incredible intensity. Seems to fan out on the finish, floral, ripe stone fruit and then lots of crushed stones and loads of salinity, too. So powerful, and mineral. Bitterness on the finish - this is spectacularly cool and suave.

Stein is a district within Krems, at the most western end of the area, near Wachau. This comes from a terraced vineyard, with plenty of sand in the soil. Lots of spice on the nose, lots of stone fruit too. Slightly smoky, really nice vibrant fruit, and there’s a breadth that comes across the palate. A hint of bitterness on the finish,

Traditionally every house would have some vines to ensure they had a yield every year. This is a field blend of 7 different varieties: Frühroter Veltliner, Grüner Veltliner, Neuberger, Muskateller, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Müller-Thurgau. It comes from the north, from the Aiglesee above Krems - so vines at high altitude, at 450m above sea level. Formerly this was too cold for quality grapes, but with climate change it’s now realising its potential. This has lovely freshness, good concentration, and good sense of acidity. This is really delicious and approachable. It’s very pure and tangy and pithy.

This goes into the estate’s oldest acacia barrel, that’s 40-50 years old, and the vineyard itself is 60-70 years old, with some ungrafted vines on sandy soils. Very pretty and spicy, lots of vinous weight here, and a real coolness. There’s plenty of savoury fruit here, with a sandalwood character adding spicy complexity. Really good length and so saline.

From 50 year old vines, planted on slate. The rows themselves are crooked, planted on beautiful old terraces. This is quite ripe, with pineapple, but that opulence is balanced with remarkable minerality. There’s so much body and density, and the finish lasts an age: this is remarkable.

From a terraced, black slate vineyard, from 40-50 year old vines. Most of the vineyard is Riesling, but a small area of Grüner Veltliner has been kept. This is so powerful and intense, with a brilliant balance of sweet and sour. This is a remarkable wine. So much power and depth.

From 40 year old vines right at the top of the slope, where the forest starts. It’s very cool and shy, but there’s remarkable breadth and focus. Tightly coiled, mineral, and savoury, this is one for the long haul.