WTN: An Outstanding Austrian Riesling

Birgit Eichinger Riesling Heligenstein 2006 -Kamptal

I’m usually a staunch opponent to those among us who would have us believe that Austrian Riesling resembles those of Alsace. It might be the vintage, or producer (Birgits wines do display a succulent sappiness uncommon to her neighbors wines), but this is more a kissing cousin to the Haut-Rhin Riesling than any I’ve tasted. It does of course have more crack and cut, but the resemblance remains. Apple and guava (with a hint of pineapple) fruit, gardenia, candied orange, white pepper and that nice Heligenstein stoniness, crushed mineral, and mountain fog. The volume is turned up, but I like that song and the acidity is brilliant. There are 2006 vintage pounds to shed, but it has already started jogging. What a wine! 14% alc (And she holds it beautifully.) $28

Thank you Bill for this amazing note. I used to believe that Austrian Riesling was in the Alsatian vein, but I am more likely to concur with you nowadays - I've had too many examples with that famous Central European white pepper on the nose not to concur! I never, ever get white pepper in Riesling from anywhere else, and it was quite a curiosity when I first tasted it.

Austrian whites are some of my favourite wines of all - fantastic grip and structure, very concrete wines.