FJ Gritsch Riesling 1000-Eimerberg Federspiel 2022

Cellar for up to 10 years. Decanting is optional, up to an hour before serving.

Since 1799, the Gritsch family have occupied a small yellow building in the centre of Spitz on the edge of the Danube River. Chief wine-maker Franz-Josef Gritsch is a Wachau native, utilising seven generations of family knowledge to craft a phenomenal range of elegant white wines.

This section of the Wachau Valley is home to some of the most visually striking vineyards in Austria. This Riesling wine was sourced from 1000-Eimerberg, a precipitous, terraced hill, reaching almost 310 metres above sea level. It’s not an easy place to harvest grapes, but those at FJ Gritsch understand the importance of hard graft, tending to their Riesling plots exclusively by hand.

This single-vineyard Federspiel wine opens up with generous scents of ripe and raw peach, and hints of tomato leaf, lemongrass and citrus. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks, and aged on the lees before bottling. The palate reveals further notes of pineapple, and hints of mango, lemon and orange peel. These fruit flavours are driven along by a racy acidity, and undercut by a clear minerality. The finish is long and thirst-quenching. Serve this wine slightly chilled, and pair it with Asian cuisine, chicken, pork, or a delicate piece of white fish.