Wine Region: Burgenland

(2024) From clay and limestone soils in the Leithaberg region of Burgenland, this is a particularly clean and refreshing style of Grüner, mineral rather than overtly fruity. That gives real elegance as the nose opens with lemon zest and a hint of creamy yellow apples. There's a little sprinkle of white pepper too, which is classic. In the mouth that sense of elegant freshness continues, helped by having just 12% alcohol, long, pure and shimmering with acidity.

(2023) A blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Welschriesling, this undergoes spontaneous fermentation and is made with minimal sulphur. Dazzling stuff: likey, juicy and floral, it's aromatically bright and buoyant. Is there a hint of the lightest spritz on the palate? Possibly it's just the sherbetty exuberance of the sliced Asian pear and citrus that flows through a dry, shimmering finish. A delight.

(2021) A biodynamic wine from Austria made with minimal intervention and fermented with natural yeast, there's a light, creamy earthiness to the pear and apple fruit, a hint of more tropical fruit in the background. Loads of ripe, sweet, juicy fruit on the palate, a fine grapefruity bite of acidity, full-textured but racy too with an expansive mid-palate tightening to a fine point in the finish.

(2018) A low alcohol blend of Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, St Laurent and Blaufränkisch, I guess this would count as a 'Pet Nat', a trendy new term for gently sparkling 'natural' wines and this has the credentials: biodynamic, closed with a beer bottle crown-cap and with only 10.5% alcohol. It is only gently effervescent, the colour lovely ruby/pomegranate red, with delicate strawberries and cream aromas. In the mouth the frizzante style gives a lively edge to crisp and flavourful red berry fruit, a hint of sweetness swept up in lovely, clear apple core dry acidity. Delightful.

(2016) With summer just about here how about the frothy strawberry and cherry charms of this? With its come-hither beauty it is well balanced, its strawberry pulp sweetness precisiely defined by its acidity. Delicious - and biodynamic.

(2014) >From vineyards of the venerable and noble Esterházy family, this Burgenland red is a very dark, purple colour and the nose has that classic, dry, coal-dust and blueberry character of Zweigelt, a lovely creamy and smoky note underpinning and yet floral and kirsch top-notes filling in too. On the palate it is rich and spicy, with a fairly prominent oak influence giving sweet cedar and vanilla, but the savoury and spicy black fruits filling the mouth too. Long, with a chewy tannin depth and good acidity, it's an impressive wine at the modest price and crying out for a steak.

(2013) Leithaberg DAC wines cannot be single vineyards, but must be representative of the region, approved by tasting committee. This has more than three days on skins and is fermented in barrel and left on lees for four months. Even richer and grippier, the nose has a touch of the orange blossom lightness to offset the concentration. The palate has huge juicy, grapefruity presence. There is a natural sweet ripeness here giving huge intensity.

(2013) A bigger site that encompasses five vineyards. Mostly loamy soils with iron. Rich, ripe black fruits, there is some spiciness, some tobacco and warmth, but the blue/black fruit is all there. The palate has delicious sweet fruited ripeness, with blackcurrant and intense black damson plum, the chocoalty depth of the tannins and good spicy character adding to the modest but nicely balancing acidity of the finish.

(2013) A really cool vintage. Slightly more fruit came from slate soils in this vintage whereas a little more would normally come from limestone for freshness. Ripe, lightly gamy nose, plenty of nutty black fruits, plenty of earthiness and gentle herbs and game. The palate has a lovely rounded, dry but very well defined palate with such a juicy squirt of tart black fruit skins to the acidity and firm tannins.

(2013) A really hot vintage. The limestone cools overnight and makes slightly more reductive wines. Much more rounded and opulent on the nose, the thicker, plumier dark fruits. On the palate it has such fat, sweet fruit and huge concentration. There is a warmth and solidity to this that Georg thinks in four or five years this will come good, the primary sweet fruit will subside a little then. And I can see the game and the herby quality in there that is just a little overshadowed by the thick plumpness of the fruit at present.