Hirtzberger Gruner Veltliner Rotes Tor Smaragd 2005
Varietal: Gruner Veltliner
Vineyard: Hirtzberger
Region: Austria, Other Europe
"Harvested November 8-10 from the steepest terraces of the Rotes Tor (adjacent to Singerriedel), Hirtzberger's 2005 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Rotes Tor smells of sweet pea, citrus, and rhubarb. It comes onto the palate with creamy texture yet loads of juicy fruit and positively shimmering wet stone, salty mineral expression. Like its Federspeiel counterpart, this exhibits great clarity of fruit, even though one can detect accents of honey and brown spice attributable to botrytis. A brothy, rich meld of stone, spice, and fruit pours itself into a long, evocative finish that outdistances all but a handful of other Gruner Veltliner from this vintage. I would be unafraid to stash some of this in my cellar for a decade or more – indeed I would regret not doing so, and while I was at it I would track some bottles of the Federspiel as well."
-Wine Advocate
