Juicy, fresh, lightweight reds of deceptive complexity are an Austrian calling card.
The Geyerhof winery is housed in a 16th-century brick edifice, with hand-dug stone cellars underneath that date back even further. Their 20 hectares of vineyards are located on the hillsides surrounding the winery, enjoying the classic Kremstal push-pull of cool air from the Alps and warm, dry currents from the Pannonian plain, to the east. The “StockWerk” wines are sourced from younger vineyards in and around the village of Oberfucha and are rooted in granite and gravel soils.
Fruit is handpicked and strictly sorted in the vineyard. Healthy clusters are pressed whole, and the must is intentionally oxidized in the press tray resulting in deeper flavors and greater ageability. Wines are fermented and aged in 3,000 liter temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The slow, even fermentation never exceeds 22 °C. A small percentage of whites and the red wine are aged in neutral oak tanks or barrels.
This property is as much a monument as it is a winery, its vineyards and cellars alike imbued with more than 400 years of winemaking history. Four. Hundred. Years. That’s how long proprietor Ilse Maier’s mother’s family has resided in the hilltop village of Oberfucha, and at least how long the surrounding vineyards have produced the Kremstal’s signature grapes—Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and yes, the red Zweigelt. These days, Ilse and her family, including her son, Josef, do that history proud with a lineup of organically farmed, impeccably crafted wines.
Pour a glass of this inky red and soak in the aromas of dark black and purple woodland berries, violets, black pepper, juniper, and crushed stones. The texture is at once pleasingly plump and refreshingly tangy, melding fruit and mineral sensations seamlessly. As compared to Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt tends to produce wines with more “purple” fruit and flower sensations, with marginally softer tannins. Serve this slightly chilled and pair with an old-fashioned mixed grill of sausages, ribs, chops, etc.
