In viticulture it's sometimes not so different from politics: labour at the grassroots level is crucial. The Zweigelt Heideboden might not have the same charisma as the St. Laurent Rosenberg – but to get a crisp, inviting, wholesome and distinctive wine into the bottle, attention and diligence are required. The wine-growers who cultivate the vines of the Heideboden adhere to the regulations of organic viticulture; they harvest manually and yield perfectly ripe and healthy grapes.
The intention behind the Zweigelt Heideboden is twofold: on one hand we want to capture the terroir - the warmth of the Pannonian climate and the sandy soils of Lake Neusiedl which tend to give the wine an unmistakable lightness. On the other hand, we try to unfurl the subtle, precise and delicate side of the grape variety.
The grapes were harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks. The wine was then aged on lees in used barrels for half a year.
This wine is offspring of its vintage. Warm and sumptuous with ripe, red fruit flavours and a subtle spiciness. It flows long, calm and deep through the mouth. Balanced and smooth, never demanding but nor is it simple. Finely-grained tannins and a restrained acidity lead the way to the palate and give the wine a soft structure. Fruity finish. - Gerhard Pittnauer
Pittnauer's wines are elegant, structured, complex and beautifully drinkable - qualities that were highlighted when Gerhard was named 2014 Winemaker of the Year by Falstaff magazine. This, the highest accolade in Austrian wine, shows just how far the Pittnauers have come. It also goes some way to showing what a fiercely gifted individual we have on our hands. But then everything -from the Pitti blend, through the vivid addition-free wines and right up to the devastatingly good single vineyards - will pretty much tell you the same thing.