2013 Nikolaihof Wachau Guts Riesling came from the winery with almost 2,000 years of history. In the course of its history, the estate was, at various times, a Celtic place of worship, part of a Roman fort, a bishop’s seat, and an administrative center.
Nikolaihof Winery
Nikolaihof, located in the Wachau wine region, is the oldest winery in Austria and probably in central Europe. It was among the first in the world to apply the biodynamic farming philosophies of the famous Austrian Rudolf Steiner. Ever since, all the work strictly adheres to the esoteric moon calendar, which dictates the planting and harvesting of the grapes.
They don’t use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides, or synthetic sprays. The grapes are harvested by hand and extracted using a medieval wine press from an elm tree. The Wine undergoes fermentation with native yeast and aged in big, old Austrian oak casks for up to 20 years.
The winery currently plants 55% riesling, 35% grüner veltliner, and 10% of other varieties. With vines planted on granite-like soils, the wines have a distinct minerally character.
2013 Gut’s Riesling is a classic example of Nikolaihof Riesling style and an excellent example of the Wachau region of Austria.
2013 Nikolaihof Wachau Guts Riesling
The 2013 Gut’s Riesling did not ferment fully dry and stopped at 23 grams of residual sugar. What does that mean?
Technically, it’s a dry wine, and it has substantial acidity. But the beauty of this Wine that it tastes off-dry and almost a dessert-like wine for some people.
It has a vivid lemon skin color in a glass. Bright and intense on the nose, with aromas of minerality, wet forest floor, sweet peach, white flowers, and a hint of dry bread and honey.
On the palate, it’s dry and yet sweet, with flavors of ripe apple, tart orange, honey, apple pie crust, and a touch of saltiness. With all that sweetness, the finish and aftertaste are fresh with reverberating flavors of yellow apples and wildflowers.