Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Federspiel trocken 2014

Ten years of bottle ageing lie behind this Federspiel from the Wachau, which only reached the market in 2024 as an Archive Release. Deep golden yellow, a mature bouquet, yet just 11.5% vol.: a medium-bodied Grüner Veltliner with grip and race, one that breaks the mould.

The Ried Im Weingebirge above Mautern is a vineyard within a vineyard. It belongs to the Ried Alte Point and borders the Rieden Strudel and Süssenberg. Six hectares climb the slope northward, from 206 to 225 metres. The subsoil is dominated by paragneiss, which surfaces in places, overlaid by clay and, above all, loess. As a vineyard site, it is considered Europe's earliest documented mention, recorded as far back as the year 470.

Varietal Grüner Veltliner at the Federspiel level. At Nikolaihof, the musts ferment spontaneously in large Slavonian oak casks; pressing takes place in the Roman vaulted cellar using a 350-year-old oak-beam basket press. The estate's 22 hectares have been farmed biodynamically to Demeter standards since 1971.

The mature bouquet needs oxygen: a wide-bowled glass with plenty of volume, or one to two hours in the decanter. Then come dried apricots, mirabelle plums, apple wedges and orange peel, alongside bread crust, buttery pastry, caramel, candied fruit and porcini mushrooms. The body remains light, the vivid acidity carries the wine to unexpected heights, a pronounced salinity lingers on the lips, and the finish shows deep presence.

Nikolaihof stands on Roman foundations dating back to 63 BC, and the Saahs family has run the estate since 1894. Christine Saahs introduced biodynamic principles in 1971, making Nikolaihof Austria's first Demeter-certified winery.