From: Kamptal, Austria
Varietal: Riesling
Critical Acclaim: 96 pt Tasting from 27.06.2022: Peter Moser
Bright medium greenish yellow. Fragrantly fine blossom honey, a little hint of meadow herbs, fresh orange zest, underlaid with a delicate mint note, a hint of papaya, and a mineral touch. Juicy, multifaceted, well-integrated acidity structure, with hints of peach on the finish and saffron nuanced reverberations marked by a reserved finish, remains persistent. A versatile style with good aging potential.
Taste: Coming to the Hirsch, Ried Zobinger Heiligenstein 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC Riesling 2020, the wine possesses a bright medium greenish-yellow hue. As per Peter Moser’s tasting on June 27, 2022, the wine exudes fragrant notes of fine blossom honey with hints of meadow herbs, fresh orange zest, delicate mint, papaya, and a touch of minerality. On the palate, the wine is juicy with a multifaceted acidity structure and concludes with a peachy finish complemented by saffron nuances. It is versatile with an impressive aging potential.
Pairing: This wine, with its well-integrated acidity and rich flavor profile, is particularly food-friendly. It pairs excellently with poached, baked or braised sea bass (check out the recipe below), choucroute garnie, sausages, dishes with avocado, Dungeness crab, prawns, grilled salmon, fish soufflé, and dim sum.
Sea Bass Fillets with Mushroom Beurre Noisette
Recipe from Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Adapted by Mark Bittman
About. The Hirsch, Ried Zobinger Heiligenstein 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC Riesling from 2020 is a remarkable Austrian wine that demonstrates the exceptional prowess of the Weingut Hirsch winery and the distinctive terroir of the Kamptal region. This wine is the fruit of Johannes Hirsch’s dedication to perfecting the craft of winemaking by focusing on Kamptal's native varieties of Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, farming biodynamically, and employing stelvin closures. These measures have enabled Hirsch to produce wines that are both classic and pure, showcasing the crystalline essence of Austrian Rieslings.
The wine is born out of the renowned Heiligenstein vineyard, which is particularly famous for producing some of the finest Rieslings in Austria. Heiligenstein is known for its unique soil composition - a reddish-brown sandstone with a high feldspar content, coarse conglomerates, and minor siltstone. This soil, formed under arid conditions 250-280 million years ago, is distinctively rich in minerals and holds a low fertility that forces the vines to extend their roots deep into the ground. This environment contributes to the creation of Rieslings with a remarkable minerality and complexity.
The terraced south and southwest facing slopes of Heiligenstein benefit from the warm Pannonian winds, which help in the ripening of the grapes and intensifying the flavors.
In the words of Master of Wine Andreas Wickhoff, "Heiligenstein is probably the most unique soil for riesling in Austria." Renowned wine critic Terry Theise likened the vineyard to Romanee-Conti and claimed it to be one of the greatest Riesling vineyards on Earth. Amongst the eminent producers in Heiligenstein, Hiedler and Hirsch are distinguished for their magnificent parcels. The wines produced here are renowned for their crystalline nature, precision, and the vibrant streak of minerality derived from the soil. These bone-dry Rieslings require patience to fully appreciate their potential as they age and unveil their incredible energy and complexity.
