2023 Bernhard Ott "Ried Stein," Erste Lage, Kamptal, Austria

2023 Bernhard Ott "Ried Stein," Erste Lage, Kamptal, Austria

Fine apple fruit, subtle tobacco notes, a hint of mango and delicate notes of orange zest. Juicy, with nuances of ripe apricots, salty minerality, fine acidity, silky texture with a long, lingering finish marked by ripe greengages.

$97.99
$97.99

ABOUT THIS WINE

Riede Stein has been cultivated since 1426 — first by Göttweig Abbey, and since 2010, by Bernhard Ott. The wine is 100% Grüner Veltliner from the Kamptal DAC, 1ÖTW Erste Lage (First Growth) in Austria. The vineyard, "Ried Stein," is located above Engabrunn, featuring southwest-facing slopes up to 350 meters. Ried Stein is exceptional in many respects. It is Ott's only single-vineyard site in Kamptal, and although loess sets the tone, other geological formations also lend the wine a character typical of the region. The wine is shaped by gravel deposited by the Danube thousands of years ago, as well as by ancient marine deposits and — unusual for the region — Gföhl gneiss. The climate is slightly cooler, and the vines benefit from the humus-rich soils. Farming is all Respekt-certified biodynamic.

The grapes are entirely hand-picked, and fermented spontaneously. The juice is 100% basket-pressed. Finally the wine remains in the large Stockinger oak cask for two winters and is bottled no earlier than the following May.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

The Ott family has been growing and producing wine in the region of Wagram in Lower Austria since 1889. Bernhard Ott is of the fourth generation and has managed the winery since 1993 when he took the helm from his father. Bernhard replaced the old wooden casks with stainless steel and began working the vineyards with an aim for the highest high quality. In 2018, nearly 30 years after taking over and switching all vinification and élevage to steel, Bernhard began working with varying sizes of Stockinger fuders.In 2004 Bernhard began composting, using organic cow manure from a friend in the region. In 2006 he committed to move to biodynamic viticulture. Thus, a year later along  with Johannes Hirsch, Fred Loimer, and a group of like-minded producers, Respekt was formed. 

Today, Bernhard is looking back to previous generations for inspiration and to inform both his work in the vineyard and in the cellar. Grapes are picked at full ripeness, but thanks to biodynamic farming and composting, the sugar ripeness stays very moderate. In addition to working the soils with compost, Bernhard is a firm believer in not disrupting the eco-system under the soils too much, preferring to plowing only 8cm deep. Harvest is done 100% by hand, something that is very important to note in a region who’s rolling hills and flatter landscape allow for machine harvesting. After picking and a strict selection, the fruit is crushed in the press and maceration is done inside the press. The length of the maceration depends on the vintage, but also on the vineyard and the quality of the fruit. Bernhard uses closed pneumatic presses and has several different sizes. The juice is “browned” and racked into stainless steel or Stockinger fuder where it is fermented by native yeasts without temperature control. Minimal amounts of sulfur are used at harvest and bottling and the cellar is very cold, inhibiting the development of malolactic.

The single vineyard wines from the three Erste Lagen –  Rosenberg, Spiegel, and Stein – are on the full less until June or July before racking and bottling. The resulting wines are some of the very finest in Austria, straddling a juicy character with strong soil signatures.

Details:

Grape(s) Grüner Veltliner
Farming Biodynamic