• Umathum, Burgenland
• Prager, Wachau
• Weninger, Burgenland
• Pittnauer, Burgenland
• Nikolaihof, Wachau
• Erich and Walter Polz
• Sonnhof Jurtschitsch, Langenlois
• Graf Hardegg, Weinviertel
• Alois Kracher, Burgenland
• Freie Weingärtner Wachau
• Bründlmayer, Langenlois
• Kurt Angerer, Kamptal
• Rudi Pichler, Wachau

also: the wonderful world of Grüner Veltliner; Austria's red wines and Austrian wines from Nick Dobson

and a Major series on Austrian wines based on a visit in October 2004

Gobelsburger Riesling 2005 Kamptal, Austria
This is a really impressive Riesling from Schloss Gobelsburg. It has a lovely crisp lemony nose which is nicely poised. The palate is generous and nicely fruited with expressive lemony fruit and good acid. Delicious. Very good+ 89/100 (£7.69 Waitrose) 04/06  

Nikolaus Moser Grüner Veltliner Gebling Vineyard 2003 Kremstal, Austria
Initially on opening there’s a blast of sulphur on the nose. This dies down to reveal fresh, limey, spicy aromas. Fruity. The palate shows pretty, bright peppery fruit with good acidity. A fresh style with good food compatibility. A good introduction to Grüner Veltliner, but it does lack real personality. Very good+ 88/100 (Marks & Spencer) 07/04

Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Tradition 2001 Langenlois, Austria
I was very impressed by this GV, made in a traditional style that aims to replicate the way the wine would have been made 100 years ago. Fresh, crisp grassy nose leads to a fascinating palate that is rich textured with amazing rich white pepper character and a rich texture. Striking stuff and quite lovely. Had twice with consistet notes. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£14.49 Noel Young Wines) 03/04  

Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1997 Kamptal, Austria
Piercing fresh limey nose with a delicate floral edge. The palate is crisp and spicy – quite light but still fresh with good acidity. Delicious, dry and spicy with good acidity. Very good/excellent 91/100 02/04

Martin Estate Riesling Dornleiten 2003 Kremstal, Austria
A wine made by Nigl for Marks & Spencer, who’ve recently listed a few Austrian wines. Refined, taut, minerally nose with subtle lemony fruit and a touch of sulphur. Quite fine. The palate is fresh, lemony and crisp with good acidity. Not profound but nice enough and a versatile food wine. Very good+ 88/100 (Marks & Spencer) 07/04

Nikolaus Moser TBA Chardonnay 2002 Neusiedlersee, Austria
From Sepp Moser, made for Marks and Spencer. Lovely rich nose: complex botrytis character with spice, some apricot, honey and with a limey edge. The palate is rich and sweet with lovely viscous peachy fruit and good balancing acidity. Could do with perhaps a touch more acid? But it’s still very fine. Very good/excellent 93/100 (Marks & Spencer) 07/04

Bründlmayer Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling Trocken 1997 Kamptal, Langenlois, Austria
Lively citrussy nose with a slightly cheesy, minerally complexity. The palate is intense and minerally; dry with lively acidity. Dry with a herby edge – verging on the profound. Very good/excellent 03/03

Erich & Walter Polz Grassnitzberg Weissburgunder 1998 Südsteirmark, Austria
Classy stuff, still very much alone. Toasty, mealy nose with notes of straw and herbs. The palate is creamy and nicely judged, with rounded nutty fruit. Stylish and well balanced. Very good/excellent (originally from Oddbins at £9.99) 91 04/03  

Weingut Knoll Ried Loibner Loibenberg Riesling Federspiel 1999, Wachau, Austria
Relatively shy nose is minerally, taut and lemony. The tight, mineralic palate shows high acidity. This is a fairly serious Riesling but needs to open out: it’s a bit of a waste drinking it now. On the second day it is spicier and more expressive with some grapefruit and melon character emerging. Lovely weight on the palate. Very good/excellent 12/01

Franz Prager Weissenkirchen Achleiten Smaragd Riesling 1999 Wachau
A top wine from one of Austria's leading producers. Gorgeous sweet, rich, ripe nose with a touch of honey and some peachy, limey fruit. Palate is rich and full, with touch of spice and good acidity. Overall, it's a delicious aromatic dry white wine with good concentration and nice balance. Very good/excellent 06/01

Heidler Grüner Veltliner Spiegel 2000, Kamptal, Austria
A pale yellow colour, this has a subtle, rounded lemony nose with a touch of spice. The palate shows good balance, with a nice mineral character and some lemony notes, together with a peppery edge. Good extract and concentration. Pretty classy stuff, and will probably improve with short term cellaring. Finishes dry and spicy. Very good+ (£8.95 Berry Bros & Rudd)  10/01

Heidler Grüner Veltliner Thal Novemberlese 2000, Kamptal, Austria
Lovely concentrated dry white wine: not rich textured, but with a lovely mineral extract. The spicy nose has a sweet floral, aromatic lift, with a touch of pepper. The palate is light and fresh, but with great depth and concentration and a pronounced spicy character. There's just a touch of residual sugar that adds roundness, but the wine finishes quite dry. Distinctive stuff. Very good/excellent (£10.95) 11/01

Erich and Walter Polz Weissburgunder Grassnitzberg 1998 Südsteirmark, Austria
An attractive yellow gold colour, this Pinot Blanc has a knockout nose of spice, toast and bready notes, with a creamy edge. The palate is rich, full and honeyed with high acidity and a lovely spicy character. This is a delicious wine with great balance and complexity. If you're a fan of Alsace-style whites, you'll probably love this. Excellent (£7.99 Oddbins, currently reduced to £5.99) 07/01

Nikolaihof Steiner Hund Riesling Spätlese 1999, Wachau
Nikolaihof is a high-profile estate run along biodynamic lines, and this wine is made from late-harvested grapes, and weighing in at 12.5% alcohol. Very pale in colour, this has a fresh citrussy nose with a smoky mineral edge. The palate is bright and spritzy, with lively, zingy acidity. Quite light textured and finishes dry. A delicate wine, there currently isn’t as much complexity as I was hoping for here; hopefully this will come with time. I must admit that I was expecting more from this well regarded producer. Very good (Price guide: Raeburn stock the 1997 version of this wine for £23) 4/01

Nikolaihof Riesling Vom Stein zu Mautern Smaragd 1999, Wachau
The Smaragd classification is the highest level, named after the lizards that bask in the sun on the terraced vineyards, and the wine from these ripe grapes has 12.5% alcohol. This has a fresh, fruity nose with hints of smoke and minerals. It's fresh and spritzy on the palate, and perhaps a bit grapey. Overall it's a little weightier than the Spätlese, but still a light-textured wine, and it finishes dry. A little bit simple at present? Very good (Price guide: Raeburn stock the 1998 for £22.) 4/01

Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1999, Langenlois, Kamptal
13% alcohol. Light, fresh, minerally/citrussy nose leading to a full, concentrated palate with good complexity, firm acidity and a dry finish. There's some limey Riesling character and although it's a touch austere at the moment it should develop nicely. Very good+ (Price guide: the 1997 vintage is £13 from Raeburn) 4/01

Bründlmayer Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben 1998, Langenlois, Kamptal, Austria
A sensationally bold interpretation of Riesling. Pretty alcoholic at 14%, but not unbalanced. Beautifully enticing smoky, spicy nose (some botrytis here?). The concentrated, rich palate shows complex notes of lime, spice and honey, with a bone dry finish. Quite delicious. Excellent (Bibendum £18) 4/01

Umathum Frauenkirchner St Laurent 1995 Bom Stein Neusiedler See, Austria
(Umathum is the producer; St Laurent is the grape) An unusual red wine from Austria, this is a light red/purple colour with a pungent, herby, slightly medicinal nose. On the palate this is bone dry, quite acidic and a little herbaceous, but with plenty of complexity and interest. It may sound a bit odd from this description, but the overall effect is a pleasurable one, honest! Very good+ 1/01

Erich & Walter Polz Grauburgunder Grassnitzberg 1998, Sudsteirmark, Austria
A Pinot Gris from southern Austria. A yellow/gold colour with a spicy, butterscotch-tinged nose with a touch of caramel and honey. Rich, rounded palate is quite fat textured, and is bone dry, with a spicy finish. Interesting stuff but needs drinking up fairly soon. Very good+ (£7.99 reduced to £5.99, Oddbins) 10/01