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Weingut Nigl

As Martin Nigl’s father sold his grapes to the local co-operative, this estate has little in the way of a wine library. Martin's first vintage was 1985. Thin and decidedly reserved, he stands in stark contrast to his wines, which can be quite rich in spite of their lively backbones. That is perhaps why he prefers cooler vintages such as 2010, 2004 and 2001--and now 2014, which he sees as very similar to 2013. “Up here,” he told me, “we do not have quite as much rain as in the lower valley and thus we have decidedly less botrytis. In terms of vegetation, we are a week behind Krems, but that needn’t be a problem, especially in light of changing weather patterns. Two thousand fourteen was late, yes, but it was nonetheless a cool, classical vintage.”

Most wine tourists drive along the banks of the Danube from Dürnstein past Langenlois on to Vienna, but few wander up the winding roads of the Krems Valley to Senftenberg. Here, beneath an old castle perched on the hilltop, is where Martin Nigl has the lion’s share of his 25 hectares of vineyards. But a hotel, restaurant and nicely appointed tasting room in what were once the castle's old stables are all that the adventurous are likely to see, as Nigl's cellars are even farther up the hill in an adjacent valley. The cooler climate and weathered granite soils here are reminiscent of the Wachau, which is not surprising as this village was once considered part of that region.

While his late harvests have occasionally brought higher alcohol levels, I like his cool, dry style, which I find wonderfully drinkable. He is not trying to win tasting competitions, but is making wines to enjoy--even if they need patience. Grown predominately on primary rock, they can be crunchingly austere in their youth.

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

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2013 Grüner Veltliner Reserve Alte Reben

Release Price: $40

Color: White

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