Nikolaihof Riesling Federspiel Late Release (6 years aging), 0.75L, 2011

Description;

The vineyard, Vom Stein, is a sub-site of the larger Silberbichel vineyard in Wachau, located south east of the village of Mautern an der Donau, Austria. The vineyard is just 5.25 Ha and with a slight incline, sloping east, on the easternmost border of the larger Silberbichel vineyard. The soils are gneiss with mica inclusions; there is a layer of loess and topsoil of 60-120cm before you start to hit primary rock. the grapes of the 2011 vintage were harvested by hand, mashed, pressed and spontaneously fermented. This was followed by almost six years of ageing in an old 7,000-litre wooden barrel before the Riesling Federspiel Late Release was bottled in May 2017 without fining or filtration. The wine is designate Wachau DAC.

Tasting Notes;

The colour is rich golden yellow, bright and clear. In the glass, pronounced church windows indicate a high extract density. Ripe yellow fruit on the nose, rather restrained for a Riesling, plus stony-spicy and distinctly herbaceous notes. With a little air, exotic hints such as papaya and ginger are added, sometimes in candied form, plus warm light honey notes that suggest ripeness. In the mouth, however, the wine seems surprisingly youthfully fresh, with mild acidity and fine melting. The fruit is secondary here – it’s all about structure, fine phenolics and spice. Mature and self-contained, extremely harmonious and delicate – a completely ageless creature that will survive the next 20 years (even more if stored properly) without any signs of decay. 

Wine Pairings;

This is great on its own and will be even better with almost any food. It pairs well with fish, shellfish and white meat dishes, even with a bit of spice (Cajun chicken and roasted pork) It would be great with Szechuan food. Sashimi and papaya salad will also pair well.

Technical Sheet