Tegernseerhof - Riesling Ried Steinertal Smaragd 2019

Add to Wish List

If there were a wine in Martin's range that he might favor, Steinertal might be it. The vineyard's particularities (as explained below in the terroir description) give it tremendous range, making it is a very special wine.

The first aromas beam out of the glass with insanely attractive and high-toned mineral impressions. If it sounds exciting, it is! The second wave comes from the riesling as it unfolds layers of discrete late-summer stone fruits, citrus and flowers, with a touch of french lavender. The exotic and sweet herbal notes follow, displaying fresh thyme, lemongrass and very subtle nuances of wheatgrass and watermelon rind. In the deepest parts of the wine, the acidity is fluid but intensely focussed and is supported by fine and refreshing tannins; yes tannins in a white wine! I love it! This full-size orchestra of profound intellectual and hedonistic pleasure seems to have no end, so prepare yourself. Also, if one were to cut their teeth on a Wachau wine with this wine, this wine may set the bar a little high.

Terroir: Shaped like an amphitheater, the south-facing Steinertal is quietly tucked between two massive wine hills, Loibenberg to west and to the east, the Kremstal's Pfaffenberg. The soils, while gneiss dominated, have slightly more sand and schist than some of the other great riesling crus in the near vicinity. However, the two most defining elements are its unique amphitheater shape, which captures tremendous daytime heat, and the numerous ravines that cut through the vineyard that bring very cool nighttime air, giving it a large diurnal shift. Once you understand this duality, it is easy to see why Steinertal is so high-toned and at the same time, deeply concentrated.

Tegernseerhof Description

Martin Mittelbach is a Wachau insider with an outsider’s perspective. He is the fifth generation of Mittelbachs to run the historical Tegernseerhof, an estate that goes further back than 1000 years. Despite the estate’s historical merit you couldn’t find a much more progressive winemaker with his own set of standards and way of thinking in this region. Martin took over the estate at a very young age and immediately changed the way things were done. As you could imagine, there was some friction with his father who preferred to make wines more on the sweeter side. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a more dry and straight style in the Wachau. The grapes are harvested and sorted rigorously to take out any botrytis grapes and then vinified and raised in stainless steel. They are harvested with no botrytis to keep the wines focused and tense. His wines are like his personality: intense, focused and highly intellectual. These laser beams are as far away from the often baroque style that can be found in this region. In every level his wines excel and can stand tall next to any of the greatest producers in Austria.