2023 Weingut Hiedler Riesling Ried “Heiligenstein” Erste Lage, Kamptal, Austria

ABOUT THIS WINE

The 2023 vintage was challenging for Hiedler because a severe hailstorm struck Kamptal shortly before harvest, forcing emergency picking in some affected vineyards. Despite that, the estate reported surprisingly high grape quality by the end of harvest.

For this Riesling, the estate uses a very restrained cellar approach. The grapes are selectively hand-harvested, handled gently. Grapes receive whole-cluster pressing before being fermanted in stainless steel. Elévage is also completed in stainless steel for several months on the lees prior to bottling. 

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Weingut Hiedler is a historic, family-run estate in Langenlois, at the heart of Austria’s Kamptal. Founded in 1856 and now in its fifth generation, the winery is led by brothers Ludwig III and Dietmar Hiedler, who continue the family’s long tradition of crafting expressive, site-driven wines, particularly from Grüner Veltliner and Riesling.

Hiedler’s vineyards span the diverse soils surrounding Langenlois, from deep, calcareous loess and clay to rocky terraces of gneiss and amphibolite. The family farms parcels in several of the Kamptal’s most celebrated Erste Lage vineyards, including Kittmannsberg, Käferberg, Schenkenbichl, Steinhaus, and Gaisberg. Hiedler was also a founding member of the Österreichische Traditionsweingüter (ÖTW), an organization dedicated to identifying and preserving Austria’s most important vineyard sites.

In the cellar, the approach is thoughtful and minimally interventionist. Grapes are harvested by hand, fermented with native yeasts, and aged on their lees in a combination of stainless steel and traditional wooden barrels. The resulting wines balance richness and texture with freshness, spice, and mineral character, offering a distinctive expression of both the vineyards and the varied geology of the Kamptal.