Anning Pinot Noir 2019

A coolly styled Pinot Noir at 12.5% vol. that tells its origin through freshness and herbal spice. The nose opens with sour cherry, plum and sweet berries, followed by floral notes of peony, ivy and elderflower. Bay leaf, liquorice and preserved cranberries add depth, while wild mint and rosemary provide freshness.

The vineyards lie at the foot of the Anninger, a 700-metre mountain at the easternmost foothills of the Alps. The relatively heavy soils, rich in shell limestone, lend character and depth, while the underlying weathered scree provides drainage and warmth. The Pannonian climate brings hot summers and dry autumns, and constant air movement quickly dries the grapes after dew or rain.

Pinot Noir, selectively hand-harvested on 3 and 5 September in 20-kilo crates. The whole, unpressed grapes ferment spontaneously with their stems for two weeks in used 2,200-litre oak fermenters at a maximum of 30 degrees. This is followed by twelve months of ageing in 300-litre oak barrels and six months in a large oak cask; bottled unfiltered on 12 April 2021.

Vibrant and taut, with youthful acidity and a tannin structure that is ripe yet still youthful. An elegant wine that is still in its early stages and deserves a few years of ageing. Those who don't want to wait can serve it lightly chilled from a decanter.

A companion for braised dishes and preparations with fruity and herbal accents: walnut gnocchi on radicchio and figs, wild boar goulash with butternut squash and fresh rosemary or roast goose with cranberries, red cabbage and dumplings.

Fred Loimer took over the Schellmann estate in Gumpoldskirchen in 2004. His operation has been working biodynamically since 2006, and in 2007 he co-founded respekt-BIODYN.