2022 Grüner Veltliner

Fred Loimer took over his parental estate in 1997. His father, also Fred, converted the estate from mixed agriculture to viticulture-only back in 1966. There was no question about Loimer’s career choice, as he reports, “[I] loved to drive tractors from a young age and loved the harvest.” He attended Klosnerneuburg and worked in both the Nahe in Germany and California before joining his home estate in 1990. The quest to achieve “more individuality and character” in his wines led Loimer to explore alternative farming, and, with the help of consultant Andrew Laurent, he started farming biodynamically in 2006. Today, he farms 72 hectares in the Kamptal, split into 50% Grüner Veltliner and 20% Riesling, followed by Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Zweigelt and much smaller parcels of Gemischter Satz (field blends), Sauvignon Blanc and Muskateller. He also farms 12 hectares in Gumpoldskirchen in the Thermenregion, split into 30% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay, 20% Zierfandler and 10% Rotgipfler, with smaller amounts of Sankt Laurent, Muskateller and Donauriesling. All the wines are made at the modern Kamptal winery just outside Langenlois. Loimer allows all his white wines to go through full malolactic conversion concurrently with alcoholic fermentation, which means they are slightly subdued on the nose but come alive with textural appeal on the palate. Loimer is also behind some great Sekts (to appear in a separate, forthcoming report) and has a real touch for fine Pinot Noir, showcasing the difference between Kamptal and Thermenregion. A 2013 Pinot Noir was opened for comparison, and the wine was pristine and fresh. During my visit, I tasted a selection of the current pet-nat releases, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and Pinot Noir. With regard to 2022, Loimer notes that the wines are less concentrated than in 2021, with harvest having concluded on 21 October.