S P R I N G
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AUSTRIA
OFFERING
THE VINTAGES 2019—Among The Very Best A vintage of great critical acclaim and highly rated wines. An ideal growing season preceded near-perfect harvest conditions with dramatic shifts between day and night temperatures. The resulting wines are ripe with pronounced acidic structure and vivid aromas. Superb quality in all categories.
2018—Fruit-Driven Whites and Outstanding Reds A warm and dry growing season resulted in an early harvest with ripe but healthy fruit and must weights like those of 2017. In general, acidity levels are slightly lower than the previous vintage, and both white and red grapes achieved their full potential of fruit character and aromatic expression. Exceptional vintage in Burgenland.
2017—Superb Overall After a cool start, 2017 was a Spring of alternating warm and cold before warming up for good for the remainder of the growing season. Harvest began two weeks earlier than usual before temperatures cooled and picking continued into the beautiful autumn. Grüner Veltliner and Styrian Sauvignon Blanc show classic profiles while Riesling is especially racy. Another excellent vintage for Austria’s red wines.
2016—A Small Vintage of Balance and Freshness A warm winter and early budding left some vineyards vulnerable to a late April frost that dramatically reduced yields in certain regions. While Styria was especially hard-hit, Vienna and most of the Danube River Valley went relatively unscathed. The vintage was saved by sunny and stable August weather giving white wines of purity and freshness and red wines that offer deep fruit and structure.
2015—Ripe Fruit, Depth, Complexity A hot and dry summer caused stress in some vineyards until a mid-August rain cooled everything down. Perfect weather then followed, and the harvest took place in near perfect conditions. Sunny days and cool nights resulted in wines with ripeness and extract coupled with balancing acidity. A brilliant vintage for both red and white wines.
2014—Cool Vintage, Fresh and Fine Grüner Veltliner and Riesling Fans of acidity and lean to medium-bodied wines will appreciate the results of this challenging vintage. Top producers took great care to only select the ripest, healthiest fruit and much sorting was necessary to produce the finest wines. An especially successful vintage for Fritz Wieninger in Vienna and the two icons of the Wachau: Rudi Pichler and Prager. Cover Photo: © Austrian Wine Marketing Board