Nick Dobson Wines Thermenregion

Thermenregion South of Vienna is the district known as Thermenregion, which takes its name from ancient thermal baths (Baden is today still a spa town). Thermenregion is centred around the wine villages of Gumpoldskirchen, Traiskirchen, Sooß, Guntramsdorf, Tattendorf, and Perchtoldsdorf. This is Heurigen country par excellence, with many establishments frequented by visitors from nearby Vienna. The district is often compared with the Côte d'Or in France due to similar soil formation and climate. Many grape varieties are grown here but of particular interest are the white wines from the rare indigenous Rotgipfler and Zierfandler, which give exotic wines with quince and orange aromas, have good body, and age extremely well. Zierfandler is indeed an endangered species, with just a few hundred hectares in the whole world, most of it here. We are pleased to offer a selection of reds and these obscure but excellent whites from a handful of really good makers - Christian Fischer in Sooß, one of Austria's top red winemakers, Weingut Spaetrot-Gebeshuber in Gumpoldskirchen, and the Freigut at Thallern, just outside Gumpoldskirchen, a property owned by the Cistertian Monastery at Heiligenkreuez, and which has been making wine since 1141. It doesn't get much more traditional than that!

Rotgipfler 2005 Ried Student Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320007

This Rotgipfler is from vines growing in Ried Student, a 5 hectare vineyard on heavier soils located in the lower part of Thallern between the village and the railway line (which follows the route of the old "Südbahn" which was constructed to give the people of Vienna access to the countryside and its wine villages). A medium yellow colour, it has a nose of minerals, honey, and peardrops, reflected on the palate, along with gooseberry flavours. Good dry crisp acidity, very refreshing with a very slight prickle. Good length with a soft peardrop/herbal finish. I am told by Michael Koch, the winemaker, that this wine is incredibly long-lived, perhaps 20 years, and that during its lifetime it will go through an initially very fruity phase (which is where it is now), then a less fruity more mineral phase, then finally fruity again.

Price: £11.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Zierfandler 2005 "Messwein" Ried Wiege Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320008

Ried Wiege is a small 1-hectare vineyard in Gumpoldskirchen, half of which was planted in 1980-83, the other half in 1989. An amazing pinkish-green colour with spicy peppery aromas, this is full-bodied with honey and butter flavours, with a spicy finish. Most unusual and excellent.

Price: £12.50 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Rheinriesling 2005 Ried Hofbreite Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320011

This is an unoaked Riesling made in 100% stainless steel. It has a pale golden yellow colour, with a classic fruity Riesling nose with some floral notes. On the palate it is again fruity, with citrus and green apple notes and good balancing acidity. Good clean finish with a nice acid streak. A nice everyday Austrian Riesling which represents good value.

Price: £10.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Rheinriesling Auslese 2006 (50cl) Alte Ried Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320012

TN in preparation.

Price: £19.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) 2003 Ried Pfennigacker Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320013

This wine comes from a small vineyard near Gumpoldskirchen; it's matured for 12 months in large oak barrels before bottling. A deep violet colour, with a jammy nose, with notes of cassis and loganberry. On the palate it's dry, with plenty of dark fruit and nice soft tannins. Long dry fruity finish. Keeps up to 10 years. A great value for money wine.

Price: £12.50 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Pinot Noir Barrique 2001 Ried Garten Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320021

**(*)

This wine is simply outstanding; a real blockbuster of an Austrian red, and possibly one of the finest such wines. It is an incredibly dark ruby red, and has a powerful nose with profound gamey spicey aromas, with overtones of herbs, cedarwood, vanilla, smoke, and even a hint of tea. Incredibly full-bodied, this wine has powerful earthy spicy flavours, which are beautifully balanced with already soft tannins and mellow creamy vanilla brought by the oak. This wine manages to bring off perfectly the hard-to-find combination of power and finesse. Huge length, peppery and spicy. One to drink with food. This will be long-lived and have a great future ahead of it. Truly exceptional; if you only try one Austrian red, make it this one. Ried Garten is a local Gumpoldskirchen vineyard. Gold medal from Belgium, Prizes from Switzerland, and a Falstaff award.

Click on MORE to see a tasting note for this wine by Tom Cannavan.

Price: £20.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Pinot Noir Barrique 2001 Ried Garten Freigut Thallern

Saint Laurent Barrique 2001 "Ausstich" Ried Ronald Freigut Thallern
Ref: 4320020

Another blockbuster red from the Freigut; this has tremendous depth of colour, with an earthy truffly nose, reflected on the palate, which is intensely fruity, smooth, and rounded. Huge length. Definitely a wine for food. The term "Ausstich" simply means the best selection. Typically the wine will be made and aged in several different barrels, before these are blended giving the final result. An "Ausstich" wine is made when the the best barrel is bottled seperately from the blend.

Price: £17.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Zierfandler/Rotgipfler Spätlese 2006 Weingut Spaetrot-Gebeshuber Gumpoldskirchen
Ref: 4320019

A late harvest wine made from a blend of two rare indigenous Austrian varieties - Zierfandler and Rotipfler. The vines are grown in a vineyard called Laimgrube, located on the road between Gumpoldskirchen and Baden (the Oberer Badnerweg) and are aged on average 20 years. Fermantation is in stainless steel tanks and is temperature controlled.

A golden straw-yellow, with exotic tropical fruit aromas, reflected on the palate; maracuja, orange, pineapple, and stone fruit. Noticeably off-dry, with excellent length. An unusual lush exotic wine; goes well with hard cheeses and sweet desserts. Drink around 10-12 Deg C. Very long-lived.

ABV 12%; acidity 7.3g/l; residual sugar 58.4g/l.

Price: £13.28 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Premium Chardonnay 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320003

* *

Golden yellow, rich and full-bodied, fruity firm aromas of
orange and vanilla. Oak evident but not overpowering, citrus and vanilla flavours; very good length. A big wine. Try with fish dishes with a strong sauce, chicken and lamb, blue and other strong cheeses.

Price: £17.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Premium Chardonnay 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß

Gradenthal 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320002

The Fischer family have run their property since 1662, and today they rank amongst the most successful red wine pioneers in the Thermenregion, exploiting the potential of Sooß to produce single varietals and blends of indigenous and international varieties which are rich and powerful. The 2003 Gradenthal is a blend of 85% Zweigelt, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot, and ranks amongst Austria's best reds. It has won numerous national and international awards.

An intense deep ruby-garnet colour, with a nose of cedarwood, vanilla, coconuts, herbs, brambles, and hints of tea. The 16 months spent in oak is not overpowering, rather contributing to the vanilla, cedar, and creamy vanilla texture. On the palate are prunes, herbs, and brambles, with red berry fruit taking over on the long finish. Exceptional.

Click on MORE to see a tasting note for the 2002 vintage this wine by Tom Cannavan. In my opinion the 2003 is better, due to the exceptional vintage.

Price: £17.63 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Gradenthal 2005 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320015

Another successful vintage of Gradenthal. Dark ruby red, intensive sour-cherry bouquet, firm and compact on the palate, soft, long finish. Goes well with pasta, fried meat, game, spicy hard cheese.

Falstaff Wineguide - 91 Points

Price: £18.45 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Pinot Noir Premium 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320004

A stunning Pinot Noir from one of Austria's best red wine makers. The climate and soil types in Thermenregion - often compared to Burgindy - are ideally suited to Pinot Noir, and this example from Christian Fischer does not disappoint. A deep ruby red, with fine deep bouquet, is pure Pinot on the palate, with a cinnamon, spice, and kirsch; the finish is long and flavoursome. A good match for dark meats, game, mushrooms, soft red cheese and blue cheese.

Price: £17.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Pinot Noir Premium 2005 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320016

A stunning Pinot Noir from one of Austria's best red wine makers. The climate and soil types in Thermenregion - often compared to Burgindy - are ideally suited to Pinot Noir, and this example from Christian Fischer does not disappoint. A deep ruby red, with fine deep bouquet, is pure Pinot on the palate, with a cinnamon, spice, and kirsch; the finish is long and flavoursome. A good match for dark meats, game, mushrooms, soft red cheese and blue cheese.

Falstaff Wineguide - 89 Points

Price: £18.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Cabernet Merlot Premium 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320005

Austria's answer to claret? Possibly, but with a bit of extra ripeness. With the classic Bordeaux blend of grapes, this wine is a deep crimson, with a classy nose of cedarwood and pencilbox, cassis and black cherry. On the palate very dry, with a fine dusty tannic structure. Good concentration of fruit, with plums and blackcurrant, with plumskin and a hint of dark chocolate. Full and firm in finish. This would will be an excellent partner for game, strongly flavoured fried-meat dishes and powerful cheese. Falstaff 89-91 Points.

Price: £18.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Cabernet Merlot Premium 2004 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320017

Tasting note in preparation

Price: £19.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Merlot Premium 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß
Ref: 4320001

**(*)

Another stunning Merlot; the 2002 was a hard act to follow, but the 2003 pushes all the right buttons. Again intensely dark purple, with a truffly earthy nose with smoke, sweet cedarwood, vanilla, and a hint of cassis. On the palate full-bodied and powerful yet smooth, with intense ripe fruit, prune flavours, vanilla, soft tannins, and a creamy texture. Dry and spicy finish with huge length.

Falstaff 92-94 points. Food matching recommendation: Ideal companion to all strong meat dishes and spicy cheese.

Price: £20.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Merlot Premium 2003 Christian Fischer Weingut Fischer, Sooß