Aus den Gärten Gelber Muskateller trocken 2023

A dry Gelber Muskateller that speaks noticeably more quietly than one would expect from this grape variety. The nose remains restrained and precise, led by herbs: lemongrass, mint, lemon thyme, lemon balm and fresh coriander, underpinned by ripe, never opulent fruit of yellow plum, vineyard peach, mirabelle, persimmon, lychee and a hint of pineapple.

The vines grow on loess with Danube gravel. Nikolaihof in Mautern is considered Austria's oldest winery and stands on the Roman foundations of the Favianis fort from 63 BC. The Saahs family has run the estate since 1894, biodynamic under Demeter certification since 1971, to date the only certified biodynamic producer in the Wachau. Across 22 hectares, wild herbs grow between the vines, and emerald lizards sun themselves on the stone terraces.

Pure varietal Gelber Muskateller at 12.0% vol., 1.0 g/l residual sugar and a crisp 4.8 g/l acidity. One batch is cold-macerated overnight, the second pressed immediately. After around six months of ageing, bottling follows on a fruit day of the biodynamic calendar.

Here the wine shows its true character: full-bodied, dense, with a perceptible grip and a clearly defined tannic structure. The phenolics are precisely judged, lending a subtly saline tension. The palate opens with yellow peach and citrus blossom, before herbal and stony notes take over. The medium, well-integrated acidity carries the wine taut without hardness, and the finish remains long and herbal-spicy.

Nikolaihof is considered the oldest Demeter winery in the world. In the Roman vaulted cellar, a 350-year-old tree press is still in use, and the musts ferment spontaneously in large Slavonian oak casks. The house's signature is elegance over concentration, and this Muskateller follows it consistently.