Grüner Veltliner Riede Steiner Schreck "Dritter Akt" unfiltriert 2020

A bright, clear Grüner Veltliner with 10.5% ABV. On the nose, young pineapple and yellow-fleshed fruit, complemented by yeast, lanolin, citrus, and herbs. Highly complex and still exceedingly youthful.

The Riede Steiner Schreck above Stein an der Donau is exceptionally steep. The vines grow on small terraces four to five meters deep, dominated by Gföhl gneiss and granite, at around 320 meters above sea level. The rootstocks are around 100 years old, and the vine canopy measures 2.4 meters. Farmed Demeter-certified biodynamic.

Markus Lang harvested on September 9, 2020, when the grapes reached physiological ripeness and a pH of 3.0. Pressing took place over two days in a custom-designed 100-tonne basket press under reductive conditions; the juice was then allowed to brown, intentionally oxidising. Spontaneous fermentation was repeatedly restarted by 5 to 6% whole destemmed berries undergoing intracellular fermentation at a constant 9 °C in the cellar. Two years of aging on the full lees in large wooden casks, minimal sulfur additions in the smallest doses, and unfiltered bottling in November 2022.

Mouth-filling, with profound salinity and a hedonistic drive. The acidity builds a clear tension while remaining silky, complemented by subtle tannins. Green pineapple and citrus notes carry a dynamic interplay of acidity, minerality, tannin, and creamy texture.

Red mullet with pineapple-melon salsa, verjus, and turmeric, asparagus rösti with a fried egg, or brown crab with coriander, ginger, garlic, lime, and jaggery.

The estate's only Grüner Veltliner entirely aged in large wooden casks. Markus and Heideline Lang cultivate 2.5 hectares and bottle around 12,000 bottles per year; the cellar is situated in a tunnel deep within the gneiss. The label bears the Demeter logo.