2001 Felsner Gruner Veltliner Gedersdorfer Lossterrassen "Kabinett"

Region: Kremstal, Austria

Composition: 100% Gruner Veltliner

Background: The winery is run by Manfred Felsner, who took over the 30-acre estate in 1990 and has worked to reduce yields on the vines in order to make better, more expressive wines. He is pretty hands-off in regard to fussing with the vines, and makes a lot of Gruner from the old (30-plus years) vines on the estate. Felsner has also had some success with Riesling, even though that grape is a newcomer to the land in comparison to the Gruner.

Notes: This particular wine, as the label indicates, comes from the Lossterrassen vineyard in Gedersdorf, a town in the northeastern part of Kremstal (one of Austria's more well-known wine-growing regions, which lies a bit northwest of Vienna). Austria produces slightly richer wines than Germany (although they grow similar grapes) and this wine shows that. It's a beautiful, clear yellow in the glass with some soft paling at the rim. It has a very fruity and floral nose for a Gruner Veltliner, with a lot of pineapple and white stone fruit. With a slight CO2 snap on the tongue (at least fresh out of the bottle) it behaves more like a Gruner once in the mouth, and is hard, nutty, and full of acid and mineral. The finish has some lingering citrus, mostly grapefruit with a hint of mineral. Overall, the wine is bright, well-balanced, and refreshing.

Cost: $10

Overall: A