Riesling Rocks

Very floral and elegant, there’s a lightness of touch here. Notes of orange blossom and plenty of citrus zest, and just a hint of spearmint on the finish. Vibrant.

Situated at the far western end of the Wachau, where the wines tend to be cooler and more mineral, Weingut Franz Hirtzberger crafts some of the most viscerally thrilling white wines that we’ve come across. Franz himself is a perfectionist, and his wines show remarkable balance of fruit and vibrant acidity. While he’s best known for the legendary Singerriedel vineyard, we think the Hochrain is the hidden gem of the range. It’s a wine of opulent fruit and chiselled acidity, that will drink beautifully right away, but that will age spectacularly.

A really beautiful nose on the 2019 Gaisberg, that comes from some of the winery’s oldest vineyards. This is sometimes called the baby Heliginstein, due to the similarities in terroir. The palate is so intense and concentrated, but with a lightness of touch about it. Notes of honeysuckle and pure lemon oil last for minutes. Bravo.