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Hirsch

In warmer vintages like 2007, 2008 and 2009, when the single-vineyard wines had higher alcohol levels and often a hint of residual sugar, many consumers thought this was Johannes Hirsch’s style, when in fact he wants his wines to be light, crisp, elegant and complex. For that reason, he likes the 2014s, as they have, on the whole, a full degree less alcohol than the 2013s, which were already vibrant and well balanced. The downside, though, was that he brought in only half of a normal crop.

New this year were the two Grüner Veltliners from the Renner and Grub sites, which are what he calls “true single vineyards” from the larger Heiligenstein. He may well even stop making a wine with the latter label, much as he plans to phase out the use of Reserve, which only refers to a particular level of alcohol. “Wine is not about alcohol,” he says emphatically.

Since returning to the family estate in 2005, he began converting his 33 hectares of vines to biodynamics with the American guru Andrew Lorand and is one of the founding members of Respekt. Before that, in 2002 he phased out corks and today bottles even his single-vineyard selections under Stelvin screwcaps.

Further, he has reduced his range of varieties to a bare minimum, making only Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. The former is his “bread and better,” as he says, adding that “Riesling is elixir.” Unlike many of his neighbors, he prefers to crush whole berries because he does not want any lingering phenolic character in his wines.

From Austria 2013 (Sep 2015) by Joel B. Payne

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2013 Grüner Veltliner Hirschvergnügen

Color: White

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