Furmint is a beautiful thing, and Heidi Schröck, a leading light of Austrian low-interventionist winemaking, is a terroir transmitter for this buzzing, understated, nonchalent and chic grape. Based in Burgenland, Schröck took over her family’s 10 acres in the village of Rust in 1983, where she quickly started turning out idiosyncratic wines like this from their mica slate, limestone and sandy loam soils. Their south-facing vineyards shade the softly rolling hills around Lake Neusiedl, forming a sort of natural amphitheatre. Nervy and electric, with chamomile scenting ample salts, medicinal lemon, flax, smoked stones, meadow grasses and green apple crispness. A slick of honeyed lees softens the stony base and hints at the age of this wine, one that is entirely not about the fruit. An intellectual stunner now.
Honey, sweet apple, spice, mineral, white flowers and cream are present on a medium-body frame. Very good length and nice little discovery from Austria.
Crisp with flavours of grapefruit, apple, pear, white pepper, mineral and lemon balm. Light-bodied with a lingering personality.
Clear pale yellow. Light nose of apple, hint of sulphur. Light-bodied, with crisp acidity over green apple and lemon-lime flavours. Will improve with another year or 2.
Pale straw in colour with a minerally, white pepper and pear nose; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, well-balanced pear and citrus flavours. A versatile food wine.
Elegant floral scents with stone fruit and varietal white pepper on the nose yield to luscious, delicately ripe peach and apricot flavours backed by stony mineral and deftly balanced acidity. Citrus and stone fruit notes linger on the finish.
Nikolaihof is the oldest wine estate in Austria and credited with being the first biodynamic estate in the world. Herbal-led, this Grüner streams with creamy lees, flax, hay and mineral salts throughout. All the cushion of this amply textured Wachau white is cut with stony minerality, and streams with an oily sheen. Generous spicy white pepper and salts linger on the finish. Let this open up and stretch its legs before you enjoy.