WTN: Live from NY, it's Saturday night Nikolaihof Tasting

Just got back from a Nikolaihof tasting that is still going on at Chambers Street, so you can can still catch it if you teletransport.

Nikolaihof claim to be the oldest wine estate in Austria (I heard 3,000 years but must have misheard) and have been certified biodynamic (Demeter) since 1971 (wow). Wines use natural yeasts, of course, but are filtered and treated with sulfur, as permissible under Demeter guidelines.

2008 Nikolaihof Gelber Muskateller 11.7% $37
Very floral, with strong grapefruit aroma. Tangy, light bodied, nice acidity, pleasant, very aromatic.

2008 Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner Hefeabzug 12.0% $25
Gorgeous nose of green apple, wet slate, white flowers. Good acid/sweet balance and agreeably light tartness. Lovely.

2007 Nikolaihof Gruner Im Weingebirge Federspiel 12.0% $33
White flowers and limes. More density that the Hefeabzug, also lovely.

2007 Nikolaihof Gruner Im Weingebirge Smaragd 13.0% $64
Muted nose of citrus and wet stone. A touch more dense than the Federspiel but slightly more sweet than acid, with a touch of rubber. At this point, not worth extra $ over the Federspiel, but may be closing.

2005 Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve (alcohol not noted) $75
Even more muted nose, tight, almost closed. Floral and flinty with citrus, with good acid/sweet balance. Nice but needs many more years to open up. Expensive.

2007 Nikolaihof Riesling Im Weingebirge Halbtrocken 12.5% $66
Some secondary fermentation spritz, a bit lacking in fruit, but good acidity. Didn't taste as sweet as my platonic Halbtrocken.

Because of the estate's reputation I had high expectations but was slightly underwhelmed by all except the Hefeabzug and the Federspiel. The others seemed made in a more austere, classical or intellectual style that I would have liked, but may open up with time into something quite special.

The others seemed made in a more austere, classical or intellectual style that I would have liked, but may open up with time into something quite special.

One of the difficulties of tastings is that these virtues are often difficult to get a hold on.

I don't have a ton of Nikolaihof experience but have been very intrigued with what I did taste.

I happened to be in the vicinity and stopped in to taste the Nikolaihof wines too. My impressions generally jibe with yours: the Hefeabzug was delightful and about the only one I would fork over the money for. Pity about the prices on the rest. It was clear that the Steiner Hund had some latent focus and intensity that would reveal itself later, right now it is rather severe. And the residual sugar was barely evident in the Halbtrocken - could pass as a dry wine in another setting. Kudos to Chambers for the quality of their in-store tastings.

And the residual sugar was barely evident in the Halbtrocken - could pass as a dry wine in another setting. Kudos to Chambers for the quality of their in-store tastings.

Glad to hear I wasn't hallucinating about the Halbtrocken. Probably the single thing I miss most about not living in NY is missing out on CSW tastings.

Sounds like a really good one. Those prices though are disturbing; then again that seems to be a trend with too many Wachau producers. (It does say something when FX Steinertal is now less expensive than some of those wines!)

BTW, will any of you be at the CSW tasting next Saturday with the Louis/Dressner portfolio? I'll be in NYC that evening, thinking of going in a bit early to attend the tasting.

Aargh, I'm kicking myself for missing that, and also a Kermit Lynch event they're doing. Would have been nice to meet you.

I really enjoy Nikolaihof, but prices are up there.
Sometimes they have late release Vinotek bottlings
Steiner Hund is hard to approach till at least a teenager in my limited experience.
I think the Hefeabzug is a sur lie bottling, unusual for Austria?
The Dressner tasting sounds fun, but I'll be distributing candy to many many children

I'm going for the Kermit Lynch tasting. Actually, I'm more into meeting the man whose book is one of the very few wine books that really interested me. Anybody else going?

Nikolaihof claim to be the oldest wine estate in Austria (I heard 3,000 years but must have misheard) and have been certified biodynamic (Demeter) since 1971 (wow).

Caution — It's not the age of the estate, but the village of Mautern, where they are based. Grape pips from Roman times have been unearthed here, proving that grapes have been grown (and wine has been made) here since the days of the Romans.

I think the Hefeabzug is a sur lie bottling, unusual for Austria?

Yes, and yes.