NUMEN Riesling 2022

A Riesling that deliberately pulls back the fruit to let herbs and spices step forward: marjoram, lemon thyme, lemon balm, dried tarragon, along with turmeric, curry, saffron and fennel in every guise, from the fresh bulb to the seed to the pollen. Underneath, apricot, vineyard peach, white currant, bergamot, blood orange, candied orange zest and fresh ginger; cubeb pepper and toasted hazelnut add depth, a honey-like note brings warmth without ever tasting sweet.

The estate's 23 hectares sit on limestone-sandstone soils around Velm-Götzendorf in the southeastern Weinviertel. Herbs for home-made teas and extracts grow between the vine rows; sheep, Kunekune pigs and chickens aerate and fertilize the soil, while trees and shrubs on the eastern edges of the vineyards act as climate buffers.

Single-varietal Riesling at 12.5% ABV, dry. NUMEN is the estate's top tier and follows a philosophy of minimal intervention: spontaneous fermentation, skin-contact fermentation in a Georgian kvevri, months of aging on the lees, bottled unfiltered and unfined. Since Johannes Zillinger's trip to Georgia in 2011, over 60 percent of the wines mature in amphorae and large oak and acacia casks.

Taut and uncompromisingly dry. A pronounced salinity carries from the first impression through to the finish, borne by vibrant, precise acidity. Fine phenolics and invigorating bitter notes give grip and stimulate the saliva, with a subtle creaminess cushioning the drive. The wine builds on tension rather than breadth, coming across as iron-tinged, almost rusty in its minerality; the saline finish lingers for minutes.

Grilled vegetables with fennel, sole in beurre blanc or venison with juniper jus, as well as curry dishes and aged hard cheese.

NUMEN is Latin for the spirit of a place. Demeter-certified; the estate has existed since 1673, Hans Zillinger converted to organic farming in 1984, and Johannes took over in 2012. His own words on it: "Nature paints the most beautiful pictures; we merely frame these works of art."