Riesling Hartstein 2022

A cool, leanly built Riesling without any excess padding. The nose remains restrained at first and needs air: then jasmine and lilac, underpinned by the scent of wet pebbles after a summer rain, followed by green apple, lime zest, and small green pears.

The Riede Lemberg in the Kremstal is barren: pure granite, with barely more than half a metre of soil covering the bedrock. Markus and Heideline Lang cultivate their estate in Stein an der Donau biodynamically.

Single-varietal Riesling from approximately 30-year-old vines, harvested by hand. Markus Lang harvests based on pH value, which for this Riesling is at pH 2.9. Pressing takes place over several days in the open air using a self-constructed tree press with 100 tonnes of pressing force, followed by spontaneous fermentation. Ageing took place unfiltered over two years on the fine lees in the cellar: a World War II tunnel deep in the gneiss, at a constant 9 °C.

The entry is crystal-clear, the texture crystalline, the acidic spine razor-sharp. Not an ounce of fat, but rather a sinewy stature; the fruit is woven into a delicate extract, while the acidity carries tension and length through to the finish.

Pan-fried char, steamed mussels in broth, and octopus salad.

The label bears the Demeter logo. Markus Lang designed aircraft for Airbus and the US Air Force for 25 years before inheriting a neglected vineyard; the tree press in the cellar is his own creation. The wine remains unfiltered and finishes with 10.0% ABV.