2017 Baumgartner Ried Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling Reserve (Kamptal): Pure like a mountain stream, fresh like a just-cut lime, steely like a suit of armor. $NA A- 2017 Weingut Leindl Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling (Kamptal): Seriously strong, seriously spicy, and seriously… serious. $45 A- 2017 Barbara Öhlzelt Heiligenstein Reserve Riesling (Kamptal): Holy austerity, Batman!! $36 B+ 2016…
Straight Up (Interviewing Stu Smith for NVWA)
My latest piece for the Napa Valley Wine Academy is now live, part of their round of winemaker features. I went big for my first interview in the series, too – I called up Stu Smith, one of the brothers behind Napa’s Smith-Madrone and someone to whom speaking one’s mind comes quickly, intelligently, and naturally….
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For March 2, 2020
1999 Domane Wachau Freie Weingartner Achleiten Riesling Smaragd (Wachau): Insert long series of repeating mind-blown emojis here. $NA A 2012 Weingut Franz Hirtzberger Singerriedel Riesling Smaragd (Wachau): Quince, apricot, and enough energy and spices to keep you bust for a good, long while. $97 A 2017 Schloss Gobelsburg Heiligenstein Riesling Reserve Erste OTW Lage (Kamptal):…
Past Masters (Aging High-end Austrian Grüner Veltliner)
Good old Austria… a land with white wines as steely, reserved, and imposingly austere as the (often slightly oversized) architectural wonders that grace its cities and towns. Let’s wrap up the coverage of my Austrian media jaunt (yes, from back in May 2019… screw you, punky, I’ve been busy!) with a look back in time…