GRAPES: 100% FRÜHROTER VELTLINER
SKIN CONTACT: 2 MONTHS
REGION: BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA
Producer information: Georg Schmelzer is a 4th generation winemaker with vines planted on a mix of sand, gravel, and clay soils in the small Austrian town of Gols. The vineyard was always run organically, and as of 2007 is Demeter certified. Working organically and biodynamically in the vineyard, Georg rigorously employs a variety of natural methods to maintain soil and vine health.
Georg harvests his grapes by hand and ages his wine in neutral oak without filtering, fining, or adding any sulfur.
Vinification method: "Schlicht & Ergreifend" (translating to "plain and simple"), utilizes the rare Frühroter Veltliner grape. Only about 600 hectacres of it are planted in Austria. A cross of Roter Veltliner and Silvaner, the grape actually has red-pink tones. To make the wine, the grapes are hand-harvested, crushed, and have 8 weeks of maceration on the skins in small oak barrels with spontaneous fermentation. The Schmelzer family actually uses zero machinery in their wine production. It ages for 18 months more in 2-5 year old small oak barrels, and is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with no added S02.
Tasting notes: full-bodied, apricot, baked peach, nectarine peel, leather, smoke
Pairing: sweet-and-sour glazed pork with rice
Mix and match 3, 6 or 12 bottles!
