Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, aged for just under a year on the full lees in 500-liter oak barrels in a Burgundian style. On the nose, ripe banana, honeydew melon, and sweet tobacco with roasted notes; on the palate, milk caramel and vanilla, nice fullness, warm fruit arc with cool-mineral notes in the finish, great aging potential. The label shows an excerpt from our oldest wine law book from 1309. A tribute to the long winemaking tradition of our region.
Bright golden yellow. Silver reflections. Fine tobacco spice, hints of orange zest, a touch of caramel, delicate passion fruit, nuances of mango. Juicy, fine acidity structure, mineral, some herbal spice, subtle tannins, an uncomplicated food companion.
Gentle creaminess with fine spice
Far up north in the Weinviertel lies Falkenstein. There "up there," Christoph Körner, together with his partners Matthias Marchesani and Georg Klein, runs the Dürnberg winery, from which today’s festive drop originates, grown on Muschelkalk and deep clay soils; a cuvée of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris, whose grapes were fermented separately by variety in 500-liter French oak barrels and aged on the lees for one year. Everything was blended into the final cuvée and bottled a year later.
The result is a wine that, thanks to batonnage (the stirring of the lees), has gained its creamy character. You notice this immediately when the Ortolan, as the wine is called, touches the tongue. It spreads out exceptionally softly, enveloping it in a wonderfully gentle creaminess. You appreciate the fine spice with which it lingers on the palate, while otherwise tasting a tropical-inspired mix of banana and melon. The drop has stature, moves on the edge of opulence, yet manages to feel relatively light and elegant despite its density. You gladly take a big mouthful of wine and chew it enjoyably. The finish is surprisingly mineral, fresh, and long-lasting. A true festive wine, perfectly suited to lighter fare like smoked salmon and scallops after the indulgence of recent days. It’s fun in the mouth, feels good, tastes wonderful, and invites a second glass. I wish you a happy New Year!
(Leo Quarda, 29.12.2016) - derstandard.at
