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SommSelect’s “Explore 4” surveys the vast landscape of wine and breaks it into small, digestible bites. Each month, we select four bottles that fit a theme, allowing members to experience a diversity of styles while developing their own palate preferences. It’s an ongoing exploration of wine through a sommelier’s eyes and there’s no more effective, and enjoyable, way to learn about wine
The Danube River, which originates in Germany’s Black Forest and winds through 10 countries on its way to the Black Sea, is a wine-drenched waterway to rival the Rhine in Germany, the Garonne in France, or the Duero/Douro in Spain/Portugal. And while we are increasingly encountering fascinating wines in Danube-adjacent terroirs in Hungary, Croatia, Romania, and elsewhere, the key stretch of river for wine lovers is the one extending from the Waldviertel forest district in northwestern Austria to the Hungary/Austria border.
Call it the “Austrian” Danube. Parts of it, including the spectacular terraced vineyards of the Wachau, are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and it’s indeed the Austrian Danube we’ve zeroed in on for this edition of Explore 4. Here is what is in the box:
Philipp Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner 2022
You can spell it Bründlmayer (with the ü), or Bruendlmayer (as referenced in the label design), but either way, the protagonists here are Josef (father) and Philipp (son), whose wines are sourced from three of the most prized single vineyards in the Kremstal DAC. Grüner Veltliner is the signature variety of Austria’s Kremstal, whose terraced vineyards along the Danube showcase the variety in all its mineral-rich glory. In the glass, it’s a pale yellow-gold with silvery/green reflections, with heady aromas of green apple, white peach, grapefruit, lime blossom, green herbs, white pepper, radish, and a hint of flinty smoke.
Weingut Zahel, Wiener Gemischter Satz 2022
“Wiener Gemischter Satz” is now an officially recognized wine style and well as a DAC-designated geographic appellation, applied to hillside vineyards that encircle the city of Vienna. By law, Gemischter Satz blends must contain at least three varieties and may contain up to 20; this wine from Zahel, from Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards, includes Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Chardonnay and Traminer that is harvested in one day and co-fermented/aged in stainless steel. The wine displays a light golden-yellow core with bright green highlights, with fresh and lifted aromas of yellow apple, peach, white pepper, lemon blossom, apricot, honeysuckle, saffron, and a bouquet of white flowers.
Geyerhof, Kremstal Zweigelt “StockWerk” 2020
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. 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. 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 age-ability. As compared to Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt tends to produce wines with more “purple” fruit and flower sensations, with marginally softer tannins.
Glatzer, Carnuntum DAC Blaufränkisch 2021
Carnuntum is situated between Vienna, Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia. The tiny, 1,000-hectare region skirts the northern tip of Burgenland. Fermentations are started in stainless steel tanks before being moved into large, used, Austrian oak barrels. There’s a gentle extraction via light punch-downs during fermentation to maximize aromatics but to avoid extreme tannin and phenolics. Blaufränkisch tends to skew lighter in body even though it has a fairly plump texture and lots of juicy fruit. The color is deeply concentrated but less purple-leaning than that of Zweigelt, and the aroma/flavor profile offers up lots of spicy, meaty, turned-earth notes along with saturated black fruits.
