Wine details

Information on location and soil

The Spitzer Graben is a side valley of the Danube running northwest from Spitz. The Spitzer Graben is lined by nearly a dozen vineyards perched mainly on very steep slopes that are amongst the highest in the Wachau and, in fact, all of Lower Austria. The conditions in the Spitzer Graben are more extreme than in the vineyards directly along the Danube. The harvests are later, the terraces steeper, and the rains more frequent. The average temperatures are lower than in the Danubelined vineyards because the narrow valley has more shade. Also, drying after rainfalls takes longer.The dominant rock specific to the Spitzer Graben is granodiorite gneiss from the orthogneiss group. The average age of vines planted on this vineyard is 45 years.

Information on maturation

Work in the vineyard takes place based on organic principles, without the use of insecticides or herbicides, and grapes are hand-picked. After an extended maceration period, the must was fermented spontaneously with some whole berries in marble and granite vessels. After 12 months of aging on the fine lees the wine was bottled without fining and filtration.

Smell

Open and accessible on the nose, intense spice, pink pepper, thyme and fennel.

Taste

On the palate ripe vineyard peach, quince, wet stones and chalkiness in the aftertaste.