2015 Riesling Smaragd Hochrain

In defense of this estate’s 2015 harvest dates, Irmgard Hirtzberger observed that “the grapes simply didn’t have developed flavors yet at the point where they had already turned really sweet. And here in the upper Wachau we could count on good acid retention. We can’t let our decision be governed by [potential] alcohol. There are so many wines that have low alcohol but give you nothing else. If you regularly taste the grapes from October on, you’ll notice the point at which there is a leap [Sprung] in flavor that tells you it’s time.” All of the above having been noted, a small share of grapes harvested in the last week of September informs this year’s Hirtzberger collection, notably its delightfully buoyant Federspiel and Steinfeder. More importantly, although harvest continued into mid-November, only one wine reached 14 percent, a restraint no doubt due in significant part to minimal botrytis. The modest amount of October rain did not present an obstacle, Hirtzberger suggested, largely because temperatures around Spitz remained chilly enough at night to discourage rot. And a more stringent segregation of any botrytis-affected fruit seems to be a recent estate trend. The Hirtzbergers have not, however, joined another recent Austrian trend toward extending élevage, and their 2015s were all bottled in spring 2016. “We tried one year doing both a May and a September Hochrain bottling,” relates Hirtzberger, “but we didn’t perceive a notable difference.” This is one Austrian address where 2015 distances itself decisively in quality from 2014 and even gives 2013 a run for its money. (For details concerning this estate’s vineyards, practices and recent history, readers are invited to consult the extended introduction to my report on its 2013s.)