Weingut Johann Donabaum - Reid Kirchweg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2020
Price: $38.85
| Producer | Weingut Johann Donabaum |
| Country | Austria |
| Region | Wachau |
| Varietal | Gruner Veltliner |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Sku | 09350 |
Weingut Johann Donabaum Description
The Riede Kirchweg is derived from the path that led for a long time to the old fortified church in St. Michael. The vineyard name is one of the oldest in the Wachau, already in 1256 it was mentioned in writing. The vineyards of the Kirchweg are largely characterized by relocated loess. Here the Grüner Veltliner is at home and we have it there, between 40 and 60 years old vines.
Tasting Notes: Bright green-yellow, silver reflections. Delicate flower honey, a hint of apricot and pineapple, anise, nuances of mandarin zest. Herbal spice underlaid on the palate, white apple fruit, good sweetness, light minerality in the finish, has great ripening potential.
The Donabaum estate has produced wine for five generations, focusing exclusively on grape growing since 1961, but it was only when current proprietor Johann took over that the family broke into the upper echelon of Austrian winemaking. After studying winemaking in nearby Krems, Johann worked at the legendary F.X. Pichler estate. It was largely Pichler’s Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners that established the Wachau as Austria’s premier winegrowing region, and it was near-maniacal attention to detail in the vineyard and cellar, along with a drastic reduction in yields, that got it done. Johann brought that stringent, prideful energy back to his family’s operation by purchasing plots in the most prized Wachau sites, cutting the yields in the vineyard in half, and shutting down the family’s restaurant operation to focus entirely on winemaking. The Austrian wine press quickly dubbed him a wunderkind, but that label no longer applies: after 20+ years at the helm, Johann is an established star in the Austrian firmament.
Wine Advocate: 92-93 Points
The 2020 Ried Kirchweg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, tasted in June 2021 as a sample ready for bottling, opens with a fascinating pure and iodine bouquet of ripe white fruits intertwined with flinty notes. Mouthfilling, round and juicy but also refined and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, intense and juicy GV with power and a certain sweetness but also refining salinity on the rich and aromatic finish. I like the purer and more austere style, but I am sure most overseas wine nerds would prefer a rounder, juicier style like this.
