IF Rotgipfler is already a tongue-twister, try Spaetrot or Gemischter Satz. And that is the irony with the wines of Austria—sometimes difficult to pronounce, but oh so easy to drink. That was just one of the discoveries at the wine presentation organized last November by the Austrian Embassy through Advantage Austria Manila.
Because the date of the event had coincided with the Apec summit in Manila, the guest turnout was way below the expected attendance. But for those of us who made it to Enderun’s Restaurant 101 that afternoon—the snarled traffic notwithstanding—the reward was enormous. More than the opportunity to taste the wines especially flown in for the occasion, there was the rare interaction with the winemakers themselves.
Except, perhaps, for Grüner Veltliner, Austrian wines still have to make it to the usual repertoire of the regular wine drinker in Manila. Not that there is a dearth of examples available from local wine importers. But that alongside Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, a Blaufränkisch or Zweigelt would be the tougher sell. And given a choice between a Sauvignon Blanc and a Gemischter Satz? I’d go for the latter, because I’ve never had it before.
Which was exactly one of the offerings at the tasting session. “Guh-meesh-ter-satzz”—winemaker Alex Zahel and his wife Hilary gave the first lesson on pronunciation. Easier drank than said. The wine was white, bright, light and absolutely refreshing. Gemischter Satz is not a grape variety, explained Mr. Zahel, but is a type of (white) wine, a blend made from white-grape varieties growing in the same vineyard and vinified together. The traditional Gemischter Satz is made from six grape varieties—Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Chardonnay, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder and Traminer—the typical Viennese field blend. After the Zahel Gemischter Satz 2014 came another typical white blend, but this time from only two indigenous Austrian grape varieties, Zierfandler and Rotgipfler. The vivid freshness of the Klassik Weiss 2014 was unmistakable, along with the citrus notes of orange zest. “Unoaked…six to eight months in stainless steel…spontaneous fermentation…the Rotgipfler is harvested earlier…”—it was easier to drink the wine than to jot down notes.
Winemaker Johannes Gebeshuber makes white wine exclusively from Zierfandler and Rotgipfler. He crafts his red wines also from two grape varieties: Pinot Noir and St. Laurent, the latter another Austrian specialty. These wines are offered in three quality classifications—klassik, reserve and grosse reserve. Why work with just four grape varieties? Because these thrive best in the growing environment of the Gumpoldskirchen area, the village which is home to the winery. The dedication to these indigenous grapes is likewise reflected in the winery’s name—Spaetrot—the local name for the Zierfandler grape in Gumpoldskirchen.
The majority of Austrian vineyards is plante to white-grape varieties—Grüner Veltliner tops the list, representing almost one-third of cultivated vineyards. But the other local whites Neuburger, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler and Roter Veltliner are also held in high regard, along with the reds Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent and Blauer Wildbacher.
That wine made from these indigenous grapes are making inroads into winelists in Manila is due, in large part, to the efforts of zealous importers and enlightened sommeliers. And then there are the agencies that connect the importers to the wineries. Advantage Austria, for example, has offices in over 70 countries, tasked with linking Austrian companies to international partners. It organizes more than 1,000 events every year to bring business contacts together. Like the wine presentation featuring the wineries Spaetrot Gebeshuber and Weingut Zahel.
From Weingut Zahel, there was also the Grüner Veltliner Goldberg 2014, peppery and apple-y, a classic Grüner from the Oberlaa in southeastern Vienna; Sauvignon Blanc Krossberg 2014, from the second-highest vineyard in Vienna; and the silky smooth single vineyard St. Laurent Kadolzberg 2012. Mr. Gebeshuber also presented his Grosse Reserve Weiss 2013, a beautifully balanced Rotgipfler-Zierfandler blend from 20- to 45-year-old vines; the dense, yet graceful Reserve Rot 2012 (50 percent St. Laurent and 50 percent Pinot Noir), redolent of cracked black pepper and chocolate-covered cherries, and the Frizzante Rosé 2012, an elegant, perfumed sparkler made from Pinot Noir. The white wines were notable in their freshness and lightness; the red wines rich and opulent, yet still light on their feet.
Whether their wines will be available locally is still a question, but for a moment, the two winemakers gave a glimpse of Austrian winemaking at its best.
