Grüner Veltliner Riede Braunsdorfer "Fuchs & Dachs" 2020

A lean, firm white wine from Kremstal that maintains pressure and tension at 10.5% ABV. The varietal spice of Grüner Veltliner is just one voice among many here.

The Riede Steiner Braunsdorfer is situated in a side valley of the Danube at around 250 metres above sea level, very steep and terraced in steps four to five metres deep. Beneath lies four to five metres of loess over bare rock. The Langs have been managing these roughly 50-year-old vines, trained on a 2.4-metre-high canopy, for four years and are converting them to Demeter. A small proportion comes from 90-year-old vines in the Steiner Schreck. The name refers to the badgers that make their setts in the loess; in cold winters, foxes curl up alongside them.

Grüner Veltliner with 8% Riesling in this vintage. Markus Lang harvested on 13 and 19 September at a pH of 3. Pressing was carried out reductively over two days on his self-designed 100-tonne beam press, after which the juice was deliberately allowed to brown. Spontaneous fermentation was initiated by 5 to 6% whole, destemmed berries undergoing intracellular fermentation. One part fermented and matured in a stoneware amphora, the other in a 600-litre cask from Stockinger. Bottled unfiltered in March 2022 at pH 3.1, minimally sulphured.

Pale straw yellow. On the nose, pale blossoms, yellow citrus notes and lime, joined by stone and lichen, mint, a hint of mirabelle plum, yeast, and a trace of wood. On the palate, the variety's peppery character flashes through; the acidity remains clear and vibrant, accompanied by a creamy texture, a fine yeasty imprint, and a touch of oxidised orchard fruit. The finish grows increasingly salty by the minute.

Trout karaage with romaine lettuce and mirin-dashi dressing, roasted white asparagus with egg yolk cream and lemongrass emulsion, or roast turkey leg with kumquats, garlic, and juniper.

Markus Lang designed aeroplanes for 25 years before taking over the vineyard; the beam press with 100 tonnes of pressing pressure is his own design. The cellar is located in a tunnel deep within the gneiss at a constant 9 °C. The label bears the Demeter logo.