2014 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Rotes Tor Federspiel

Franz Hirtzberger

Austria / Wachau / Franz Hirtzberger

According to myth the Rote Tor (red gate) is part of the old town wall which was saturated with blood, during the Swedish Wars. We grow GV grapes in the vineyards below, in both quality levels - Federspiel and Smaragd. The soil-type consists of gneiss, mica and schist and brown soil.

TASTING NOTE
Nice lift – all about citrus (oranges – bitter, and lime juice) and spice (towards, but not quite reaching, the white pepper spectrum). In the mouth there is a nice lees induced creaminess - especially through the mid palate, which provides a savoury juxtaposition to the ‘sweet’ tropical fruit flavours and ferment esters that dominate. A great acid line is present and it helps to really push out the white stone fruit and floral flavours on the finish.

July, 2016

Mike Bennie

The Wine Front

93 points

Superb drinking, effortless but drags you into its mineral-charged, flint-bright feel. Whiffs of wet slate, apple skin, fresh flowers, fennel. Flavours are green apply/citrusy and licked with more flint and granite-like mineral flecks amongst pristine, refreshing acidity, light honey character and a fresh feel of peppery celery. Needle-thrust across the palate and long, cool, almost minty finish. Really good.

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About Franz Hirtzberger

The Hirtzberger family purchased its first vineyards in the village of Spitz in the late 1800s. The winery is situated at the western end of the Wachau - the part that's coolest and closest to the mountains. The terraced Singerriedel vineyard has brought the family near legendary status for its Riesling, while the Honivogl has done the same with Grüner Veltliner. Such sites, allied to an approach that’s simple in the extreme, lend the wines an often astonishing transparency and complexity.

About

"In every walk of life the best results are obtained as a result of care," says Franz Hirtzberger, adding, "this is especially true when it comes to the vine." He and his son, also Franz, now share responsibilities in the vineyard and the cellar in order to give the vine and its fruit all the time and attention possible in their quest for great wine. Wines are fermented in stainless steel and then aged in old oak barrels and sit stylistically somewhat apart from the rest. Spicy, exotic and perfectly poised, they nevertheless combine the opulence of FX Pichler with Prager’s racy purity.