A Whole Lot of 'Rot'

3/6/15 -

(Christoph Wachter-Wiesler shows off the slate of the Eisenberg in Austria's Sudburgenland.)

Over the past few months I’ve enjoyed assembling a small selection of Austrian and German rot weine (red wines) that are a little outside of the norm. By that, I really just mean that these producers make wines that aren't afraid to exhibit a little more idiosyncrasy, simply by eschewing the use of new oak or modern cellar techniques that often mask the personality and character of the distinct soil and climate in which the wines are made. For some growers this includes restoring and maintaining the health of their soils with organic and biodynamic farming. Some are also experimenting with little or no sulfur at bottling. Though it would be a stretch to say that there is a strong natural wine movement in Germany and Austria, there is no question that there is a small cadre of winemakers moving in that direction and in some cases making wines that are amongst the most expressive, successful natural wines I've tasted from any region.

So we are excited to have wines like Andi Knauss' Trollinger Without All, bravely going against the norm with his first vintage of a wine made without the additon of sulfur and clocking in at 10.6% alcohol. Or, for instance, the Spätburgunders from Hofgut Falkenstein, whose cellar is simply too cold for malolactic fermentation to occur, giving the wines a bright, high-toned energy that is unique and delicious, a true reflection of their origin in the chilly Saar. As a contrast, the Spätburgunder from Holger Koch in the warmer climate of Baden is riper and more lush. But thankfully, Holger, like Johannes Weber of Falkenstein, has a light touch in the cellar and his Spätburgunder is a treat, a glass of ridiculously pure refreshment. From Austria we have wines like Uwe Schiefer’s Blaufränkisches, where even a casual wine drinker can taste the palpable difference between the slate of the Eisenberg hill and the limestone of Königsberg.

All of these wines have the additional benefit of being universally approachable and affordable. There is a growing demand for red wines in Germany and Austria, and though this is hardly a complete list, this is a great place to start for the reds showing off terroir, old-fashioned cellar practices, natural winemaking, and, most importantly, hard work in the vineyards. Jonathan Kemp