Gods of the Wachau: Pichler and Hirtzberger

I have been obsessed with the Rieslings and Gruner Veltliners from F.X. Pichler and Franz Hirtzberger for a solid decade now. And with each tasting of their wines, I’m constantly impressed and refreshed. The quality, depth, and focus of the wines is consistent across vintages, and with such site-specific nuances, the wines offer a master class in Wachau terroir. These are the kinds of wines that translate their site with clarity.

And they’re just so damned delicious. Not to mention age-worthy. I have a bunch of Pichlers and Hirtzbergers buried that I’m pretending I don’t know exist, at least for another five or six years. The wines age beautifully, but they’re also ready to drink young, because they offer such freshness and fruit.

I recently tasted three wines apiece from Pichler and Hirtzberger at Weygandt Wines, which imports these wines. As always, their offerings are well-priced for the high quality, and the knowledge of the staff (should you have any Austria or other wine-related questions) is top notch.

Here are my notes on the wines I tasted…

2014 Franz Hirtzberger Riesling Federspiel Steinterrassen - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
$34
Lots of lemon, grapefruit and minerals on the nose. Stony and dusty and mineral-driven on the palate, dry and brisk and doused in lemon and slate and sea salt. Delicious stuff that should evolve so nicely. (91 points)

2015 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kirchweg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau 
$40
Loving the spicy complexity on the nose (white pepper, nettle, tobacco) with tropical juices mixed in. Peachy and rich on the palate, almost waxy, but also precise acidity and lots of zesty fruit. Tropical, too, and honeyed tea, but it stays elegant and spicy and complex. Wow this should age beautifully. (93 points)

2014 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner Steinertal - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
$47
Gorgeous aromatics of spiced honeyed tea, peach nectar, mineral and limestone dust. Rich and waxy texture on the palate, with plump, tropical fruits. But the zesty acidity and complex floral, soap, incense sticks, nettle and perfume elements make for a seriously complex wine. As with all of these wines, I want to re-taste it in five years. (93 points)

2015 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Oberhauser - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

F.X. (left) and the next generation (Lucas) Pichler craft exquisite
wines, easily some of the best Rieslings and Gruners in Austria.

$37 
Love the aromas of apricot, key lime, honey and salty, mineral notes. So precise and crisp on the palate, lush texture combines with crusty minerals and sea salt. Apricot and lime glazed in honey and white tea. Complex, long, elegant, age-worthy. (93 points) 

2014 Franz Hirtzberger Riesling Smaragd Hochrain - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau 
$54
Aromas of green apples, peaches, ripe but fresh with floral perfume and chalk dust notes. Such precision on the palate, an elegant and stony wine, but plenty of texture. Lime and peach laced with seashells, mineral dust, saline, cut floral stems. Delicious, deep, deserves lots of time, but a total beauty. (94 points)

2013 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
$62
Aromas of rich apricot, lemon curd, with spicy tobacco and minerals. Waxy and plump but zesty acidity, I like the combo of honey, tropical fruit with spicy ginger, white pepper, spiced tea, mineral, dusty earth. A layered, fascinating, delicious wine. (93 points)

Psyched for the Summer of Riesling

Some Riesling grapes soak up the sun near the Mosel town of Bernkastel, Germany. ©IJB 

Rock on and drink Riesling! That’s the motto for the Summer of Riesling, a collaborative, season-long celebration of the world’s greatest grape. It’s a motto I fully support.

Bars and restaurants from all around the country are joining the party with Riesling-themed dinners and tasting events from June 21 through September 21. (For a list of Riesling-soaked spots in your area, click here.) These participating venues will pour three or four Rieslings by the glass all summer long, and in July at least two of those Rieslings will hail from Germany.

Why celebrate Riesling all summer long? My response is: Why the hell not? The Summer of Riesling’s web site has another explanation: “Because we must overcome this hackneyed belief that the glorious diversity of Riesling is also a fault... simply put, no grape can do what the Riesling grape can do.”

These Riesling fans are right. I love trying all different kinds of wines, but nothing tops Riesling. So, if you’re trying to beat the heat this summer, or you just want an excuse to drink great wine, why not Riesling? Of course, the Summer of Riesling is promoting the festivities using the Facebook and Twitter machines (@SummerRiesling), so it’s easy to find an event near you.

I’ll be visiting some Riesling-pouring establishments in DC this summer for sure, but I kicked off the summer a bit early with a recent Riesling tasting. Some wine nerd friends and I got together for a whole bunch of mostly German Rieslings. Demonstrating Rieslings’s diversity and aging potential, some of the wines were old, some new, some sweet, some dry. All were tasted sighted.

Here are some reasons to celebrate the Summer of Riesling (organized from oldest to youngest bottles)…

1966 Wachstum H. Schweiszthal Uerziger Würzgarten Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
A bit musty on the nose, but also some nice notes of apricot, dried mango, orange rind and crushed rocks. Still going on the palate, with flavors of apple sauce, sweet tea and dried mango. Soft and reserved, but some minerals still show through. Considering this wine is almost a half-century old, I’m impressed. (86 points)

1976 Schloss Vollrads Riesling Matuschka-Greiffenclau Spätlese rosa - Germany, Rheingau
Orange-golden color. Smells like oil, apricot marmalade and wax. On the palate, chunky mango and dried pineapple meets medium acid. Caramel, wax and nougat notes add complexity. Not subtle, but yummy. Well-aged but still alive. (88 points)

1990 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese * - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Rich golden color. Smells of canteloupe, apricots and honey. Full of creamy apricot and white peach fruit. Zippy acid makes this easy to drink. Nutty, apricot jam flavors last long onto the finish. I’m generally a big fan of 1990 rieslings, and even though I liked this, I was expecting a bit more. (88 points)

2001 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar RuwerThis Riesling is in a superb place right now. Complex, deep aromas of white peach, lime, white flowers. The palate is rich and honeyed, with apricot and caramel, but the acid never quits. Lovely mineral, lemon peel and smashed rock flavors. Long finish with the perfect amount of sweetness. Nowhere near the end of its life. (92 points)

2002 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Smells amazing: lime, dried flowers, minerals, pineapple, lamp oil. The palate is rich and full of honey and apricot, but the acid keeps it balanced. The mineral, crushed rock aspects are great, and matched with flavors of sweet caramel apple and lemon peel. Long finish. Delicious stuff. I think it’s fair to say every other person at the tasting loved this wine. (93 points)

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Berg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Golden apple colored. Aromas of oil, marmalade, minerals and peanut brittle. Dry with bracing minerals on the palate. The acid is a little lower than other bottles I’ve had, but it’s still there. Lots of apricot, mango and peach, backed up by earthy, spicy, tobacco notes. Seriously, I get flavors of chewing tobacco and mushroom, especially on the finish. Very unique and funky, but perhaps time to drink up. (90 points)

2004 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Love the aromas: intense flowers, peaches, pears and a hint of salt. The sweet peach, marmalade and green pear fruit is matched with live-wire acid. Delicious bruised apple and honeysuckle lingers with lots of minerals on the finish. A pleasure to drink, and I imagine this will continue to improve for years. (91 points)

2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe
Another awesome Riesling from Schäfer-Fröhlich. Very light gold color. Aromas of lime, papaya, mango and honeysuckle. Juicy and full on the palate, with pineapple, guava and lemon meringue flavors. Medium acid and crystal clean minerals and slate balance out the sweet fruit. A riesling built for the long-haul, as this has a ton of complexity to unpack. (91 points)

2011 A.J. Adam Hofberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Intensely floral and fruity on the nose. Deep and complex, with pineapple, melon, slate and orange peel. Steely acid on the palate, but lots of rich fruit, especially for a kabinett. Apple cider, cinnamon and mango mix with slate and a rush of minerals. Long, focused finish. Delicious now, but this has the stuffing to age wonderfully for five to ten years without a problem. (92 points)

German and Austrian Rieslings to Beat the Heat

F.X. Pichler makes incredible rieslings and gruner veltliners from Austira's
Wachau, while Selbach-Oster consistently turns out classic Mosel rieslings.

It's been hot as hell in DC these past few days. So on Friday, I decided to hide from the oppressive heat and humidity, watch some DVR'd shows and drink some great rieslings. I invited a couple of friends over to enjoy the wines with me. The acid, fresh fruit and minerals in riesling can make it one of the most refreshing wines to drink . And the wines are generally far lower in alcohol than a lot of table wines, so you can keep on drinking! I chose three wines from my collection from three different regions and vintages, just to make it interesting . All the wines showed well, demonstrating what these varying regions and vintages have to show.

Notes...

2001 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheingau
The aromas were a bit hesitant at first, and really started to show fresh flowers after an hour being open. There’s an oiliness to the aromas, like lemon oil, along with orange rind and white peach. The aromas are loaded with complexity. On the palate, the surprise here is the acid… just beautiful, from start to finish, the tanginess never ceases. It’s like biting into a Granny smith apple. This really tastes like blue slate smells, and lots of sea shells. There’s also a nice apricot and dried apple flavor that I find in a lot of rieslings at about this point in their evolution. This riesling is still very young, and nowhere near the end of its life, but it’s doing beautiful things right now. (90 points)

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Berg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Ah, to bask in F.X. Pichler’s rieslings, it is always a pleasure. This 2002 shows its age with a rich yellow color in the glass. It smells of pineapple and apricot, also showing aromas of oil and salt. This wine is thick on the palate, showing bold and powerful flavors, but the combination of minerals and acid keeps it pulled together quite nicely. The flavors here are darker than the German rieslings in the tasting, and focused more on apricot, peach and mango. There’s also a spiciness to this wine, like a bit of white pepper and herbs. The wine is thicker, but the acid rips, and the combination is delicious. In classic F.X. Pichler style, the minerals have a great kick to them. Very oily on the finish, but that acid still lingers. A hint of quinine on the finish. I’ve got one more bottle of this wine, and I should probably drink it in the next year or so. At the same, time, I’m always curious to age these wines, even though I think I like them earlier on. (92 points)

2009 Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
The aromas in this wine are incredibly fresh and vibrant. The youth of this wine explodes from the glass in aromas of lime, white peach, kiwi and ocean breeze. The palate shows great balance of plump, fresh fruit (apple, peach and orange rind) and acid, which keeps the wine focused and precise. It shows that great blend of ripe fruit, mineral and acid I look for in a 2009 Mosel riesling. There are some underlying flavors of apricot and yellow apple that I think will grow with more time. The minerals keep this wine light and tangy. Lovely honey on the finish, but the acid keeps going until the very end. This will improve for at least a decade, although it’s so pure, rich and balanced now, that I’m glad I opened it. This wine has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of the time my girlfriend and I stayed in Bernkastel at the foot of this vineyard, drinking lots of riesling from 2009 and 2010 and enjoying the hell out of ourselves. I can’t really ask for more from a $25 wine! (91 points)

Top Five Wines of First Half of 2011

I can't believe it, but 2011 is halfway over. Time goes so fast it's ridiculous. What's also ridiculous is the incredible amount of top-notch wines I've been able to taste so far this year. At halfway through 2011, I looked back at my tasting notes and found my top five wines of the first half of 2011. Interesting thing is: They're all white wines. I've always loved whites, but so far this year I've found myself seeking out some great white wines. Maybe it's just my palate shifting over time, but I can't seem to get myself away from riesling, gruner veltliner and chardonnay. Here are my favorites so far this year:

2009 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal (Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau) 4/3/2011, rated 96 points
i don't throw around 96 points very often. but this wine is just immaculate. it has the sexiest nose: flowers, lemons, white peaches, fresh laundry. i feel like i'm running through a field of blossoms and hanging sheets in one of those downy commercials. the palate is fresh, but really dense and complex. right off, i could tell this wine needs years to show its true potential. right now the flavors are so compacted that it needs time to develop. but there is no denying the complexity and mouthfeel of this wine. apricots and honey flavors stay from the attack to the finish, but they're mixed with granola, peanut brittle, golden apples and a hint of cinnamon. the acid is intense throughout, making this a massive but balanced wine. the finish is seamless and incredibly long. i've now had the 92, 07, 08 on several occassions, and this was my favorite FX riesling stienertal experience.

2008 Cameron Chardonnay Blanc Clos Electrique (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills) 6/3/2011, rated 96 points
this is truly an amazing chardonnay. it is complex, bold, sexy but also balanced. the nose is a massive burst of pineapple and lime juice. it kind of smells like someone poured a salty margarita on top of cotton candy. the sweet fruit is by no means overwhelming, indeed everyone at the table loved this wine, even those who are not fans of riper chardonnays. the palate is silky, creamy and alive. lime and honeydew flavors glide across the palate, highlighted by vanilla extract, pear butter and lemon drops. the focus and intensity of this wine is astounding. great acid lingers on the long finish. no oak here, but a richness that almost reminds me of a kind of neutral oak aging, although i'm not sure. this is the best chardonnay from oregon i've ever had, and it's way up there on the list of best chardonnays i've ever had.

2006 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer) 4/3/2011, rated 95 points
the color is an intense honeyed orange. the fruit is pure and powerful on the nose. i get canided pears, golden apples and apricto, all highlighted with a stony minerality. the palate is viscous, rich and exciting. massive creaminess, golden grahams cereal, apricot puree, honeyed apples, hints of spice. its not at all cloying, which is why i loved this so much. it goes down easily with the acid, and the acid and sweetness linger in perfect balance on an incredibly long finish. that has an incredible 25+ years of development ahead of it.

2007 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 'M' (Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau) 4/3/2011, rated 95
the nose is intense and lovely. lemons, yellow apple, tobacco, lemon zest and heating oil. apricots, honey, oil, creamy, tobacco... the flavors are unbelievable. gorgeous wine.

2007 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg (Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau) 4/3/2011, rated 95
rich, honey, peaches and cream on the nose. the palate is rich and creamy, white grapes, green pepper, honey, rosemary. while i'm sipping this wine, i really wonder, does gruner get better than this? i don't know.

Gruner Veltliner + Riesling + Korean Food = Bliss

Gruner Veltliner and Riesling at Mandu
4/3/2011 (Mandu - Washington, DC)

The theme: gruner veltliners, rieslings and a melange of Korean food at Mandu in Washington, DC. Sounded like a fun, simple night. But it turned into one of the best wine tastings I've been to in recent years. The range of aromas, flavors and textures in these wines was incredible. About 11 of us got together for mounds of great Korean food, served family style by a respectful and generous staff. While the food was phenomenal, these wines were just flat out incredible. The first riesling dinner I arranged at Mandu in March was a phenomenal success and this take #2 was even better. I tasted each wine in each flight individualy, then went back over them again, then with food. While the food aromas and flavors were intense, I still feel like I was able to taste each wine for what it was. That said, the interplay between the food and the wine was tremendous. Also, I would've been happy with any one of these wines over the course of an evening. Each one was so distinct, that it was almost a crime to taste so many great wines together. But it was a crime I had a lot of fun committing. This tasting further solidified my opinion that F.X. Pichler is one of the greatest wine producers in the world, period. And, if I needed further basis for my opinion that riesling is the greatest white grape in the world, this sure helped.

Below are my tasting notes and scores.

Opening Wines

N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Cuvée Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
nose shows lemons, strawberries. the palate is very acidic, with not enough weight for me. still a good finish. (85 pts.)

2007 Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner Der Ott - Austria, Niederösterreich, Donauland, Wagram
this is a gruner? really? its filled with mango, apricot and honeydew on the nose. the palate is thick with honey and really viscous. not very gruner-esque, but still a great wine. more like a riesling, in my opinion. (89 pts.)

2007 Weingut Meinhard Forstreiter Grüner Veltliner Tabor - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal
the nose is so oily! gops of oil, spicy herbs, lemon oil, melons with spice. gorgeous thickness on the palate, matched with spiced lemons, almond paste and white pepper. gorgeous wine. really mindboggling in its depth and complexity. (93 pts.)

Pichler Gruners

2008 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
the nose of this wine is gorgeous. lots of rosemary, nervy lemons, dill, white pepper. the palate is filled with apples, white pepper, rich tobacco and dandelion stems. the complexity is astounding. (94 pts.)

2008 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 'M' - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
peaches, white lillies on the nose with some white pepper. the palate is filled with green apples, golden pears, and a hint of cinnamon. there's a great onion, dill and white pepper flavor, like a ukrainian green borscht. great balance. what a gorgeous wine. (93 pts.)

2007 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
rich, honey, peaches and cream on the nose. the palate is rich and creamy, white grapes, green pepper, honey, rosemary. while i'm sipping this wine, i really wonder, does gruner get better than this? i don't think so. (95 pts.)

2007 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 'M' - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
the nose is intense and lovely. lemons, yellow apple, tobacco, lemon zest and heating oil. apricots, honey, oil, creamy, tobacco... the flavors are unbelievable. gorgeous wine. (95 pts.)

Riesling Kabinetts

2002 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
the nose shows apples, pineapples and apricot. the palate shows apple juice, pineapples and minerals. nice wine. the lack of acid keeps it from being better than it is, but it was nice to get a riesling with a bit of age on it into the tasting. (87 pts.)

2007 A.J. Adam Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
the nose on this riesling is intense. sugar cane, white peach. the palate shows green apple, golden honey and gorgoues peaches. wonderful. (90 pts.)

2007 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
dense petrol on the nose. almost like a bit of new leather. also some gorgeous apples on the nose. the palate is rich and oily. i get a lot of golden apples and layers of honeyed graham crackers. gorgeous length. drinks like a spatlese, but i can't help but love the richness of this wine. (91 pts.)

2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
gorgeous nose of ginger, lemons and oil. pineapple, golden apple and lime zest on the palate. a bit more zip to it than the 07, but this is still quite rich for a kabinett. (90 pts.)

Two more rieslings

2009 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
i don't throw around 96 points very often. but this wine is just immaculate. it has the sexiest nose: flowers, lemons, white peaches, fresh laundry. i feel like i'm running through a field of blossoms and hanging sheets in one of those downy commercials. the palate is fresh, but really dense and complex. right off, i could tell this wine needs years to show its true potential. right now the flavors are so compacted that it needs time to develop. but there is no denying the complexity and mouthfeel of this wine. apricots and honey flavors stay from the attack to the finish, but they're mixed with granola, peanut brittle, golden apples and a hint of cinnamon. the acid is intense throughout, making this a massive but balanced wine. the finish is seamless and incredibly long. i've now had the 92, 07, 08 on several occassions, and this was my favorite FX riesling stienertal experience. (96 pts.)

2009 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe
what a beautiful nose of golden apples, white peaches and slate. searing acid on the palate is balanced by a thick, oily mouthfeel. rich white peaches glide across the palate, followed by honeycomb, golden apples, and a rush of minerals. at this point in the tasting, i felt like my palate had been on such a high, that this might even be better if just tasted alone. also, incredibly young. still, this wine wowed me. (92 pts.)

Ausleses to end the evening

2001 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese - Germany, Nahe
what a beautiful golden color. an impressive, powerful nose of apricots and honey, like those honeys with spices in them you can get at farmer's markets. the richness of the orange marmalade, sugar cane, honey and lemon oil is astounding. gorgeous finish. (93 pts.)

2006 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
the color is an intense honeyed orange. the fruit is pure and powerful on the nose. i get canided pears, golden apples and apricto, all highlighted with a stony minerality. the palate is viscous, rich and exciting. massive creaminess, golden grahams cereal, apricot puree, honeyed apples, hints of spice. its not at all cloying, which is why i loved this so much. it goes down easily with the acid, and the acid and sweetness linger in perfect balance on an incredibly long finish. that has an incredible 25+ years of development ahead of it. (95 pts.)