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I stumbled across a number of Austrian wines being closed out (priced at about half of their original retail) by an Ohio distributor, and began to enthusiastically sample the wines.  Most that intrigued me from the available stock were from the 1998, 1999, and 2000 vintages, and crafted by producers with whom I'm familiar: Brundlmayer, Nigl, Hirsch, Jamek, and Salomon. A few friends expressed interest in trying some of these wines -- from there, a casual tasting was born!

The wines were picked up from Colonial Bob Eppich, and eventually transported to the "centrally located" home of friend Loren Sonkin who was gracious enough to host us. The bottles were on the table, and eventually fourteen tasters sampled through a dozen wines. Cheeses, olives, etc. were available for nibbling between sips and conversation. For many, this was their first real brush with Austrian whites, so I was already impressed with their courage in trying something new and by some standards, exotic.

2001 Nigl Sauvignon Blanc Reserve ($19) -- Some gooseberry notes pop in and out, but this mostly smells of very ripe pineapple. Something seems "not right" here when I mentally compare this to the dry '99 model I've enjoyed -- this is fat, syrupy and really quite sweet... but perhaps the residual sugar is no mistake? Loren said it might make a good dessert styled wine -- probably so, but its lack of apparent acid leaves me flat. Find this wine

1999 Brundlmayer Loiser Berg Gruner Veltliner ($10) -- Many commented on the sulfurous funk rising up from the glass... those that employed bigger bowled stems suffered what seemed to be a higher dose. Beyond, there were good bits of mineral, smooth textures, light dosing of "Gruner vegetation" and a nice zip of acid at its close. This strikes me as a wine that would be a better experience as solo act rather than in a group. The price is right for experimentation. Find this wine

1999 Jamek Ried Achleiten Gruner Veltliner Federspiel ($11) -- the nose seems reluctant but eventually features some turned earth, stone and a menthol quality. I found the palate to be flat, and somewhat dilute. It was not very appealing. Find this wine

2000 Jamek Ried Achleiten Gruner Veltliner Smaragd ($18) -- A touch of funk shares space with guava and stones when I inhaled. It has a big, dense feel in the mouth -- packed with tropical fruit and more minerals. It was reasonably balanced, but never seemed especially interesting. Find this wine

2000 Nigl Gruner Veltliner Privat ($34 Magnum) -- It was full of tropical fruit in scent and flavor -- pineapples, peaches and mango. I liked the floral tones and subtle green nuances, but what appears to be a trait of the vintage, it lacks cut and delineation. That said, its creamy textures and ripe flavors were well presented -- not too flabby. Roland Riesen described it as having a "Late Harvest" style -- that seemed fair. Find this wine

1998 Brundlmayer Zobinger Heiligenstein Riesling ($21) -- It was funky, cool, and precise. Lick a sea salt sprinkled limestone and you'll get the idea...and yes, I looked at this as a positive aspect. Lemon, ginger and brine are the main players when it comes to flavor. There was plenty of acidic zip, inducing a fair amount of lip smacking by the time I was done. Fresh and interesting. Find this wine

1998 Hirsch Zobinger Gaisberg Alte Reben Riesling ($15) -- This was a wine I've sampled a number of times and it continues to impress. It was full of mineral, sea air, penetrating peach and pineapple fruit with stone and spice accents. It was fresh and enticing... a long linger to its finish. A delight! Find this wine

1999 Salomon Kremer Kogl Reserve Riesling ($18) -- This is another that I have tried previously, though I thought this occasion was perhaps its best showing. The nose showcases slate and salt water. It seemed full and ripe in the mouth, but focused and well balanced. In some ways still seeming very primary, but showing nice potential. Find this wine

2000 Hirsch Zobing Riesling ($10) -- More than any other wine on the table, this shows the most sulfur, making any other olfactory components seem rather absent. Still, it has a light and engaging demeanor... swelling with acid, but maintaining a nice sweep of yellow fruit flavors, along with assorted stones. It impressed me as a wine with plenty of upside, for the price. Find this wine

2000 Brundlmayer Zobinger Heiligenstein Lyra Riesling ($20) -- This wine elicited a "wow" from me, if for no other reason than its sheer size and level of concentration compared to the other wines on the table. It has plenty of weight, but comes across as luscious rather than especially fat. Sweet peas, rock, peach and ripe pear flavors are dominant.  Some commented that the finish was short, but it did not strike me as especially brief. Find this wine

Lyra refers to the use of the "lyre" method, where the vine is lifted on a metal trellis that looks something like a US football goal post. This allows for more canopy exposure to the sun as well as creating better air flow.

2002 Salomon Pfaffenberg Riesling ($10) -- Green apple, sea spray, and mineral scents were a cool breeze of freshness. Sure it offered some citrus essence and copious amounts of flaky schist, but the essence of this wine was in its razor sharp cut and sparkling clarity. It may be too stern for some palates at present (a delight now for those that can handle their acid), but it has a bright future ahead. The price borders on silly for a wine of this quality -- based not just on this tasting, but sampling on numerous occasions over the past few months. Find this wine

2000 Brundlmayer Losier Berg Gruner Veltliner Trockenbeerenauslese ($47 - 375ml)  This showed a deep gold color with good luster to its coat. The nose was floral and fresh -- along with ripe apricots, bits of lemon, and stone. The flavors followed suit -- dense with apricot and peach fruit... an herbal tinge as it closed. It never appeared too heavy or cloying in its sweetness, but it did seem short on acid. It was very pleasant, but never seemed truly exciting. Find this wine

These were not the finest wines that Austria has to offer and some of the vintages were problematic. Many of the wines would be fine complements to a meal, and were probably not shown in their best light with this sort of tasting. Those statements ring true to me, but it difficult to always create an idyllic situation. It was certainly a worthwhile adventure in exposing a new region to some, and discovering a few excellent bargains along the way.

Zum Wohl!

LM