Fritsch Steinberg Erste Lage Roter Veltliner 2023

Drink it now or cellar for up to 8 years. Serve chilled. Sent from Vienna to the countryside as a child during World War II, Karl Fritsch developed an early passion for wine that would shape his entire life and legacy. In the 1960s he founded a winery in Oberstockstall near Kirchberg am Wagram. Under his son, also named Karl Fritsch, the estate has blossomed into one of Austria’s finest, especially since their conversion to biodynamic agriculture in 2006. Today the family are known for their exceptional terroir-driven wines and prized vineyards like the “Erste Lage” or “First Growth” Steinberg site where this cuvee is born. The deep loess soils here are rich in minerals and retain plenty of water and warmth, creating balanced wines with a subtle touch of spice and minerality. For this wine Karl has used Roter Veltliner or “Red” Veltliner, a rare white grape variety native to Austria that is not actually related to Grüner Veltliner. The name comes from the reddish tint of the ripe grape skins. This spectacular example is macerated on the skins for a few days and matured in 2000 litre acacia wood barrels for a creamier texture and greater structure. The result is a complex, layered white wine with luxurious notes of apricots, dried fruit, and nuts overlaid with zingy citrus and plenty of refreshing acidity.