Nikolaihof

 2/26/10 -

After traveling with Terry Theise and visiting his growers in Austria, the wines of Nikolaihof-Wachau were truly the most profound wines of the tour. This winery is believed to be the oldest in Austria, with the first documents of wine production dating back to 470 A.D. Tasting the wines seems something akin to reciting creed, as if participating in a long repetition through human history – there is a tangible sense of story and life force to these wines. They should make you stop and pause, and they always do, and for reasons completely other than what you would find or could describe in a tasting note. Perhaps that’s why I find myself stalled every time I try, in vain, to contrive descriptors for these wines. It is as if they transcend and defy capsulation.

The Saahs family purchased the estate in 1894, and began farming bio-dynamically in 1971, and they were the first winery to be Demeter certified in 1994. Martin Saahs, the youngest son, will be joining us in store on June 20th to pour six Nikolaihof wines. We will be showing quite a stretch: a vintage comparison of Hefeabzug 2007 (just one case remains!) and 2008, then three 2007 offerings from Im Weingebirge - both the Federspiel and Smaragd Gruner Veltliner, and the Riesling Halbtrocken. Finally, we will be pouring the sneak preview taste of the 2005 Steiner Hund Riesling Reserve. The 2004 received serious acclaim in the wine press, and after tasting the 2005, I can only imagine the praise that will come to this offering. This will be a unique opportunity to taste items that will not be available stateside until the fall.

Pre-order items are due to arrive in the fall and are being offered now at a special price, with no further discount.

RSG