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Rudi Pichler, Grüner Veltliner, Federspiel

Wachau, Austria 2015 (750mL)
$30.00
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Rudi Pichler, Grüner Veltliner, Federspiel

Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau region of Austria is one of my favorite white wines, and not just because it is one of those perfect symbioses of grape and place—although that, of course, is a big part of it. Wachau Grüner also resonates with me because it is so often one of the most affordable ways to taste history. I mean, you’re drinking wines from terraces first planted by the Romans!
This wine from Rudi Pichler, whose family has tended vines in the Wachau since the 1700s, is a perfect example: I would say that they have the Grüner Veltliner grape, and their steeply pitched vineyards above the Danube, pretty well figured out by now. And yet this wine—dry and savory, yet blessed with an extra level of concentration (it is designated federspiel, more on that below)—is hardly priced like the precious commodity it is. It almost doesn’t seem fair, but if it works for Rudi, it works for me. You’ll love the precision, power, and exceedingly modest price of this 2015, and, if you have not yet gotten on Grüner Veltliner train in earnest, this is the ideal place to start—with one of Austria’s most celebrated white wine producers.
The Pichler name is a famous one in the Wachau, thanks not only to Rudi but to the legendary F.X. Pichler (no relation) as well. The Rudi Pichler property is named for Rudolph Pichler, III, who took over the family estate in Wösendorf in 1997 and has since expanded its vineyard holdings to 37 acres across several villages. About 95% of the wines made here are either Grüner Veltliner or Riesling, vinified in a new facility that was constructed in 2004. From vineyards on south-facing terraces rooted in the Wachau’s trademark loess—a mineral-rich, wind-blown silt fused with calcium carbonate—Pichler crafts a range of Grüners infused with great tension, depth, and minerality.

The defining characteristic of this 2015—aside from the fact that this is one of the great Wachau vintages of the last century—is that it is classified as federspiel, one of the quirky designations of ripeness unique to the Wachau region. Long before Austria’s DAC (‘Districtus Austriae Controllatus’) appellation system was created, Wachau winegrowers had established their own classification criteria, including the use of the terms steinfeder, federspiel, and smaragd to indicate ripeness levels of grapes at the time of harvest. All of these styles, it’s important to note, are fermented to dryness; the classifications refer more to the level of concentration in the finished wines. 

Steinfeder translates as “stone feather,” referring to a type of local grass. It’s the lightest style, harvested at sugar levels which translate to a maximum of 11.5% alcohol when bottled. Federspiel, named for a falcon, is the next level up and enjoys more texture and richness at 11.5% to 12.5% alcohol at bottling. The most concentrated style is smaragd, named for the emerald-green lizards that sun themselves on Wachau’s terraces, with a must weight at harvest that translates to 12.5% alcohol minimum (though smaragd wines can climb much higher). For me, federspiel is the way to go—the combination of depth and spicy grip, sometimes lost to fruity extract at the smaragd level, is what great Grüner Veltliner is all about.

One whiff of this powerful 2015 Federspiel from Rudi Pichler and I was hooked: This is a glass of near-perfect Austrian white wine and what I hope for every time I pull a cork on a bottle of Grüner. Light straw-gold in appearance, with some silver/green reflections at the rim, its aromatics are a reminder of why they call it grüner (“green”): aromas of green peach, lime blossoms, cucumber peel, and fresh white flowers are prominent, layered with a mix of watermelon radish, white pepper, lees and crushed stones. The palate has great weight and texture without any hint of sweetness, and the wine finishes with a long, savory, mineral finish. It fairly begs to be consumed in large quantities, so don’t be surprised to see a bottle disappear within 10 minutes if opened for two people (I’m only half-kidding). Although decanting certainly wouldn’t hurt, I don’t think it’s necessary: Simply pop and pour at a temperature between 45-50 degrees in white wine stems and have an extra bottle close by. Out of all the pairings I’ve ever had with fresh and textured Grüner like this, hamachi crudo with fresh-picked green herbs with a hint of citrus takes the prize. The wine and food are in perfect harmony. This recipe is quite simple and nearly identical to a dish I prepare at home often. It will change the way you see the potential first course of your evening forever.
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Country
Austria
Region
Wachau
Sub-Region
AustriaWösendorf
Soil
Loess (wind-blown silt) & Gneiss (metamorphic rock)
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Grüner Veltliner
Alcohol
12.0
OAK
None
TEMP.
40-45
Glassware
All-Purpose White
Drinking
Now-2020
Pairing
Hamachi 'Crudo'

Austria

Northeastern Austria

Weinviertel

Considered by most to be the oldest growing zone in Austria, Weinviertel is also, geographically, the largest in the country and covers the vast, northeastern expanse of Lower Austria, stretching from the western border of Slovakia, following the Danube inland and veering up to the southern border of Czechia. Its name, which translates to “wine quarter,” reflects the region’s rich, ancient wine heritage and, according to the Weinviertel DAC website, there are “7,000 years of artifacts to prove it.”

Northeastern Austria

Wachau

Austria’s Wachau appellation is the country’s most acclaimed region. About an hour northwest of Vienna along the Danube River, the vista of the steep, terraced vineyards of the Wachau creates a magnificent landscape akin to a verdant, ancient amphitheater—it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, after all. With rich and unique soils here of löess and gneiss, which lend vivid minerality to the wine.

Eastern Austria

Burgenland

The Burgenland appellation, running along Austria’s border with Hungary southeast of Vienna, has a diverse topography and a mix of soils, with more primary rock and slate at higher locations and dense loams in the rolling hills that extend toward the Pannonian plain.

Southeastern Austria

Steiermark

The region of Styria (Steiermark) is in southeastern Austria which sits near the border with Slovenia. This area is studded with long-extinct volcanoes whose deposits are a key component of the local soils and the vineyards benefit from a classic Austrian push-pull of cool Alpine air and warmer “Pannonian” currents from the east.

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