I know some wine professionals who have made the pilgrimage to Austria’s remote Burgenland only to shake the hand of Roland Velich and witness his master craftsmanship in the cellar. Why have they done this? Because they’ve tasted a bottle of Moric before, probably as many as they could get their hands on.

As far as pedigreed Austrian wine goes, Roland’s are among the most honest, restorative, and enchanting—in a word, “supernatural.” As such, they’ve been consistently lauded by the estimable likes of Rober Parker and Jancis Robinson, with The New York Times’ Eric Asimov summing it up quite simply by calling Moric “a star in this world.” Today, we’re keeping that star burning white-hot with one of their newest creations: Moric’s 2019 “Supernatural” is a dazzling blend of Grüner Veltliner and Chardonnay, and it drinks as if a fine, mineral-chiseled Premier Cru Chablis was secretly infused into a richly layered and wildly energetic Grüner Smaragd. When an otherworldly wine experience like this can be found for less than $35, pouncing on whatever you can is the best advice I could ever hope to proffer.

After traveling and studying the world’s greatest terroirs for more than 10 years, Roland Velich came away with one defining principle he employs at Moric (est. 2001) every day: it’s all about individuality. Making a wine that has a raw identity, a wine that refuses to hide behind anything is, in fact, everything. From top to bottom, you will only find purity and distinction in his wines (although his top Grüner and Blaufränkisch bottlings constantly draw parallels to Grand Cru Burgundy!). One thing you can always expect is that Velich’s old vines and one-with-nature techniques in Austria’s Burgenland will deliver a wine that is discretely distinct. 

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. Moric’s organically farmed vineyards (he hasn’t sought certification) are situated primarily in the Mittelburgenland sub-region and Velich describes the soils as varied, with some limestone and slate mixed in with loam. His “Supernatural” Weiss (white) is an 80-20 blend of Grüner Veltliner and Chardonnay that was gently pressed and slowly fermented with ambient yeasts. It then aged on its lees in a combination of large, neutral barrels and stainless steel. All of his wines are bottled without fining or filtering. 

You’ve had lots of Chardonnay. You’ve also had Grüner Veltliner. But very few have experienced a blend of the two, and in the hands of Moric, it’s unlike anything else. It has the tension and fine mineral texture of nervy Burgundy, and the beguiling spice and creaminess of ripe, Smaragd-level Grüner. These are two of my favorite white grapes so, for me, it’s the best of both worlds! In the glass, a shiny straw-yellow core reveals itself right as a tidal wave of vibrant aromas roar out: white pear, yellow apple skin, lemon and lime blossoms, bergamot oil, green peach, honeysuckle, white flowers, lees, crushed stone, and hints of forest greens. It’s crisp and addicting palate delivers a mouthwatering cascade of just-ripe citrus and orchard fruit, with impressive richness and complexity on the mid-palate. Serve this beauty in Burgundy stems around 55 degrees, and treat it to a quick 15-minute decant beforehand if you feel so inclined. Either way, you can’t go wrong here: Our bottle was equally delicious from the start and on day two, although I highly suspect your bottle will be drained in under 60 minutes. Enjoy!