2015 Weingut Ingrid Groiss, Gemischter Satz, Braitenpuechtorff, Weinviertel, Austria.
Ingrid Groiss has really taken the wine world by storm in recent years and it is always a rare treat to sample her authentic and passion filled wines, especially what maybe her signature offering, the white field blend, Gemischter Satz, which is Austria’s white version of a heritage wine. In California, our oldest and most treasured vineyards were the ones that were planted with many different varietals inter-planted together, like Old Hill Ranch and Bedrock in Sonoma where they had originally had something like 19 different kinds of grapes all mixed into the sites, well Austrian traditionally did the same with whites, the resulting wine is the Gemischter Satz and Ingrid’s version has an amazing array of varietals in it including Chardonnay, Müller Thurgau, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Grauburgunder, Pinot Blanc, Frühroter Veltliner, Neuburger, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, Sämling, Roter Veltliner, Grauer Vöslauer, Hietl Rote, Weiße Vöslauer and Silberweiße! Many I’ve never heard of before and certainly can’t pronounce! All the grapes here grow together and are harvested together, it is a pure terroir expression and makes for an intriguing wine, this 2015 is brisk and electric on the palate, feeling like a Txakolina with zesty lime, white peach, green apple, unripe pear along with light mango, lemon and tangerine bouncing around in the zesty cascade of flavors plus mineral tones, minty herbs, white flowers and wet stones adding to the complexity of this light, bright and steely refreshing white. With air and time in the glass this invigorating white gains a serious/austere presence, but always stays vibrant, dry and cooly crisp. This winery in Breitenwaida, in the Weinviertel DAC, north of Vienna, is one of Austria’s rising stars and Ingrid has a gift, this is a lovely and dynamic wine, be sure to look for her wines, this lady is a true talent and her wines reflect that, I love her Rose of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt and her Gruners are Rieslings as well, these are focused and unique wines of great detail and character, with 2015 looking like another fine year, not quite to the heights of 2013, but worth stocking up on!
($25 Est.) 91+ Points, grapelive