The wines of Kurt Angerer, Kamptal, Austria

The wines of Kurt Angerer, Kamptal, Austria

Another chance to look at the Kurt Angerer range, and this time a really good showing from the red wines. ‘Reds can be a bit hit and miss in the Kamptal because it’s a little too cool’, says Kurt, but in good years such as 2006, they were great, helped by a long growing season. Kurt has 15 hectares of red varieties, with just half a hectare of Syrah. ‘It’s fun’, he says. Scroll below this report for earlier write-ups on Kurt and his wines.

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Loam 2006 Kamptal
Taut nose is fresh and minerally. The palate is fresh and crisp with good acidity. Tight and full at the same time, with a lovely texture and a long finish. This is a stylish wine that’s all about the texture. 90/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Eichenstaude 2006 Kamptal
From red gravel soil. Quite aromatic, this, leading to a fresh, mineralic palate with a bit of pepper. Stylish and really fresh. 90/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Unfiltriert 2006 Kamptal
Older vines, granitic soil, fermented in new French oak and has full malolactic fermentation, too. Complex broad toasty nose which is rounded and bready. The palate is soft and a bit buttery with lots of barrel fermentation character. Nice brightness to the fruit. 88/100

Kurt Angerer Pinot Noir 2006 Kamptal
Attractive, fresh cherryish fruit with some raspberries and a hint of undergrowth. The palate has lovely soft fruit and lots of presence. Cherries, berries and earth: stylish. 89/100

Kurt Angerer Zwiegelt Granit 2006 Kamptal
Lovely deep colour. Vivid, pure raspberryish fruit on the nose. The palate is juicy and vivid with lovely pure focused red berry, raspberry and strawberry fruit. Fresh, sweet and pure. 91/100 (£15 Noel Young)

Kurt Angerer Syrah 2006 Kamptal
Vivid dark colour. Focused, fresh dark fruits nose with a bit of roasted oak. Good purity. The palate is vivid, pure and peppery with lovely vibrant raspberry fruit. Brilliant stuff: ripe but focused. A lovely modern wine. 91/100 (£16.50 Noel Young)

Earlier reports:

In winemaking terms, Kurt Angerer is young. Like many of the younger, more ambitious winemakers, he’s doing good work, making some impressive wines. The vineyards he works with have different soils and aspects, and these site differences are transmitted through to the wines, subtly but successfully. He even uses oak with some of his Grüners and gets away with it. These wines are represented in the UK by Noel Young (www.nywines.co.uk) and the good news is that prices are sensible, with most in the £12–15 range.

The notes below stem from two tastings of his wine, most recently in 2007 and then below these, in 2005.

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Kies 2006
Very bright and fresh with a bit of spiciness and some minerality. Lovely fullness of fruit. 88/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Loam 2005
There's a creamy richness to the fruit on the nose here. Bright, fresh peppery fruit on the palate with a lovely bright spiciness to it. A really nice expressive wine. 91/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Eichenstaude 2005
Smooth, bright fruity nose is sweet and expressive. The palate is rounded and bright with a lovely freshness allied to a peppery character. Expressive and long. 92/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Unfiltriert 2005
The estery, tanky nose is bright and youthful. The palate is full and bold with freshness and also some creamy oak. Tastes a bit awkward at the moment but may turn out to be really interesting. 89/100

Kurt Angerer Pinot Blanc 2005
Rich, spicy and full on the nose. Bold and intense. The palate is concentrated and full with lots of spicy oak and a savoury character, with lots of concentration. 90/100

Kurt Angerer Chardonnay 2005
Deep coloured. Intense, herby, spicy and expressive. Bold concentrated palate with nice integration of rich fruit and oak. Expressive and bold. 92/100

Earlier notes:

Kurt Angerer ‘Kies’ Grüner Veltliner 2003
Very modern fruity nose with some grassiness. The palate is open and fruity with a tangy, fresh character. Very good+ 87/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner ‘Loam’ 2003
From Loess soil, a sandy loam. Harvested end of October or early November in most years. Vivid peppery nose is fresh, fruity and expressive. The palate is modern, fresh and fruity with some savoury white pepper notes. Very good+ 89/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner ‘Spies’ 2003
From granite soils. Modern nose is fruity, lemony and peppery. Delicate and quite precise. The palate is savoury, open and expressive with complex, delicate, peppery character. Very good/excellent 90/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Eichenstaude 2002
From red gravel soils, and given a bit of French oak. Really expressive peppery nose. The palate is rich and quite rounded with lovely subtle spiciness. Long finish. Smooth with a nice texture. Very good/excellent 91/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Eichenstaude 2003
Focused, pure nose currently a little shy. The palate is full and concentrated with seamless, gently herby, peppery fruit. A bold wine with lots of character to it. Very good/excellent 90/100

Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner Unfiltriert 2003
Distinctive fresh, slightly toasty bready nose. The palate is savoury with well integrated oak and nice, slightly herby, peppery fruit. An original style showing good concentration. Very good/excellent 90/100

Kurt Angerer Donatus Riesling 2003
Brilliant. Really lovely expressive perfumed nose with a lemon and lime twist. Good concentration on the delicate palate. Rich texture; rounded and expressive. Very good/excellent 91/100

Kurt Angerer St Laurent 2002
This red has a sweet cherry fruit nose with a savoury streak. Open berry and cherry fruit on the palate with a subtle, spicy edge. Nice if straightforward. Very good+ 88/100

Kurt Angerer Granit Zweigelt 2001
Lovely forward sweet berry and cherry fruit nose with lots of ripeness. The palate is open and slightly herby. Very expressive, this is delicious. Very good/excellent 90/100