2003 Weissburgunder Maximum

"You couldn't do much wrong in the vineyards this year," opines Hiedler, "but in the cellar it was a different matter. Techniques that worked for me for the last five years, such as crushing and skin maceration-precisely these would not have succeeded this year. The difference started with the time of harvest. Of course we began earlier than normal, because otherwise we would have had nothing below 13 or 13. 5% alcohol, and we need lighter wines, too. But we recognized right away that those grapes that came in the first week of September and were picked in the afternoon were coarse compared with those harvested in the morning. So after three days we reacted and started harvesting at six o'clock and finishing by noon. We pressed very gently and with each new level of pressure we stood by with a glass and tasted the must. All of a sudden you'd get dark brown, phenolic juice-catastrophic!-that would have meant broad wines without any finesse, without interplay, without refinement," meaning it was time to stop pressing. Through picking at cool temperatures, for the most part later picking, and ultra-gentle handling of the must, Hiedler was able to achieve outstanding results. Thanks to the health of the crop ("even in November not a single botrytis berry-I've never seen the like of it"), he relied overwhelmingly on indigenous yeasts, which resulted in slower than usual fermentations and correspondingly longer lees contact. (Terry Theise Estate Selections; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY) Also recommended: 2003 Gruner Veltliner Loss, 2003 Riesling Loiserberg, 2003 Sauvignon Blanc Steinhaus, 2003 Gruner Veltliner Maximum.