Nikolaihof

scottreiner

scottreiner

scott reiner
Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner 'Hefeabzug' 2009 - Crisp minerality paired with light tropical fruit. Wonderful weightlessness on the palate. For around $25, perfect!

Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel 2009 - More weight on the palate and and a darker minerality than the 'Hefeabzug'. More what I think of as classic Nikolaihof, without the tropical notes. $29

Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Smaragd 2008 - Richer yet again! There is more depth to the minerality and overall the wine is softer, as one would expect from a 2008 compared to the 2009s. A beaut! $59

Nikolaihof Riesling Von Stein Smaragd 2008 - All about straw and minerals. There is a roundness to the wine, but the acid is definitely not lying down! Pricey, but damned good stuff. $62

Nikolaihof Riesling Hund 'Reserve' 2006 - Some age works very well for this wine! A light petrol essence is found on both the palate and the nose, dancing nicely with the now secondary and profoundly deep minerals. Just wow... $70
 
2008 Nikolaihof Gelber Muskateller 11.7% $37
Very floral, with strong grapefruit aroma. Tangy, light bodied, nice acidity, pleasant, very aromatic.

2008 Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner Hefeabzug 12.0% $25
Gorgeous nose of green apple, wet slate, white flowers. Good acid/sweet balance and agreeably light tartness. Lovely.

2007 Nikolaihof Gruner Im Weingebirge Federspiel 12.0% $33
White flowers and limes. More density that the Hefeabzug, also lovely.

2007 Nikolaihof Gruner Im Weingebirge Smaragd 13.0% $64
Muted nose of citrus and wet stone. A touch more dense than the Federspiel but slightly more sweet than acid, with a touch of rubber. At this point, not worth extra $ over the Federspiel, but may be closing down.

2005 Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve (alcohol not noted) $75
Even more muted nose, tight, almost closed. Floral and flinty with citrus, with good acid/sweet balance. Nice but needs many more years to open up. Expensive.

2007 Nikolaihof Riesling Im Weingebirge Halbtrocken 12.5% $66
Some secondary fermentation spritz, a bit lacking in fruit, but good acidity. Didn't taste as sweet as my platonic Halbtrocken.

Because of the estate's reputation I had high expectations but was slightly underwhelmed by all except the Hefeabzug and the Federspiel. The others seemed made in a more austere, classical or intellectual style that I would have liked, but may open up with time into something quite special.
 
2004 Hefeabzug Nikolaihof Wachau Grüner Veltliner 11.5%
Appealing aromas of alpine white flowers and hay eaten by Alpine cows to make milk for pockmarked alpine cheeses. Marathon athletic body, cyclotron electric acidity (akin to space Muscadet), Tom Cruise-crystal fruit. Juan of the best Grüners I've ever had the good grace to guzzle.

Nikolaihof Wachau Riesling 1998 Steinriesler 12.0%
Restrained aroma, borderline closed, but exuding the latent power of a slumbering Siegfried. Athletic, muscular sprinter body with the Federspiel lightness of a playful Sound of Music springtime frolicking amid the prancing Lipizzaners. A co-drinker points to the presence of oatmeal, which I find henceforth indeed apparent, bundled in layers of complexity and mineral motes. A monument to what unoaked chardonnay could be, or not, but today I preferred the Bella Abzug to the Steinriesler because for the latter to be "all that it can be" (and join the Army) it must fulfil the Rule of 25, whereas the Bella babe is already giving it her all in a radiant collisional burst.
 
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