Riesling Riede Steiner Schreck "This is not a love song" 2020
A Riesling from 80-year-old vines in the Steiner Schreck vineyard above Stein an der Donau, aged on the full lees for two and a half years in a stoneware amphora.
CHF 55.50
Prices in CHF, including customs duty and all import charges, plus shipping CHF 15 (free from 12 bottles or CHF 300) — no further charges on delivery.
Available for Switzerland
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About this wine
Character
A wine of texture and structure rather than loud aromatics. The nose remains consistently understated, floral, and juicy: gooseberry, yellow citrus fruit, mirabelle plum, and herbs, joined by crushed stone and an overtone of verbena. At 10.5% ABV, the wine is delicately framed while remaining electrifying throughout.
Terroir and Origin
The Steiner Schreck vineyard sits at around 320 metres above sea level and is among the steepest sites in the Kremstal, shaped by Gföhl gneiss and granite. The parcels are Demeter-certified, with 80-year-old vines. Markus and Heideline Lang cultivate 2.5 hectares; their cellar is tunnelled deep into the gneiss, maintaining a constant temperature of 9 °C.
Grape Variety and Vinification
Riesling, harvested on 15 September 2020, pressed extremely slowly over two days on their custom-built 100-tonne basket press. The pressing is conducted reductively, after which the must is deliberately allowed to oxidize and brown. Spontaneous fermentation with 5 to 6% whole destemmed berries added, which undergo intracellular fermentation and repeatedly reignite the process in the cold. Aged for two and a half years on the full lees in a 1,000-litre Bordeaux stoneware amphora, whose micro-oxygenation closely resembles that of a large wooden cask. Bottled unfiltered and lightly sulphured in February 2022: 0 g/l residual sugar, 8.5 g/l total acidity.
On the Palate
Piquant and saline, with graphite and a texture reminiscent of the finest wet sandpaper, accompanied by a very delicate phenolic grip. The acidity is energetic and persistent, yet balanced charmingly by delicate floral, apple, and herbal notes. When left open over several days, the wine becomes silkier without losing any of its tension.
Food Pairings
Millet risotto with golden beets and fennel pollen, skin-seared char with whey, radish, and elderflower, as well as Alpine caviar with potatoes, crème fraîche, and wild herb salad.
Special Features
Demeter certification, serving in a Burgundy glass when young, and aging in stoneware lend this Riesling its crystalline precision.
