Nick Dobson Wines Wachau

Wachau The Wachau is a region along the north shores of the Danube to the west of Vienna. It is an area of outstanding beauty, with dramatic scenery along the Danube river valley. It is also widely accepted as the source of the very best Austrian white wines, many of which are made from Grüner Veltliner - see my ramblings about this exotic grape variety on the Austrian Information page on this website - but also of some of the best Rieslings on the planet. Most of Austria's greatest dry whites are made from Riesling, and many Austrian Rieslings are amongst the best in the world, but to give of its best though, it is fussy about where it is planted - and it simply thrives on many outstanding sites in Austria - on mainly primary rock, or urgestein soils. Also made in the Wachau are a handful of very respectable reds, and some outstanding Rosé wines. The very best Wachau wines are however scarce and, given the cult status of many producers within the domestic market, expensive. The western end of the Wachau has the most elegant wines, with cooler nighttime temperatures, and the fuller-bodied and more powerful examples come from further downstream, peaking around Loiben and Dürnstein. Many Wachau growers have together formed the VINEA WACHAU growers association.

Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2007 Spitzer Point Johann Donabaum, Spitz-an-der-Donau
Ref: 4300065

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Price: £11.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007 Spitzer Point Johann Donabaum, Spitz-an-der-Donau
Ref: 4300064

Parker 94 points.

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Price: £21.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Leo Alzinger, Unterloiben Gentle-natured Leo Alzinger, based in Unterloiben, is without doubt one of the true Wachau superstars. This fine estate makes superlative single vineyard wines from premium mountain sites including Loibenberg, Steinertal, Hollerin, and Liebenberg, with soil types including sandy loam and eroded primary rock. The estate totals about 8 hectares, and production is very small at just 5000 cases per year. Grape varieties are 55% Grüner Veltliner, 40% Riesling, and a tiny 5% parcel of Chardonnay. There are in fact two Leo Alzingers - Father and son - with Leo Junior having joined his Father in 2000, following his viticultural training at Klosterneuburg, and time spent in New Zealand (Marlborough) and in the Pfalz, Germany, notably with Hans-Günter Schwarz of the famed Müller-Catoir estate. Leo Alzinger's wines are simply awesome; they are right up there with the very best the Wachau has to offer, and deserve every bit of attention they can get. The superstar status is well deserved, yet this remains a small family business, embodying individuality and an unceasing quest for quality. Until recently, Alzinger wines had a reputation for remaining closed for quite some time after bottling, and requiring time to open up. This has changed to some extent recently, with a number of winery innovations making the wines more approachable in their youth. Yet a mature Alzinger wine is a joy to imbibe, if somewhat hard to come by. Alzinger's wines are bottled quite late by Wachau standards, often in June, when the Wachau rules permit release to the market of Smaragd wines on 1 May.

Chardonnay Smaragd 2007 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300062

Leo Alzinger's only foray into grapes other than GV & Riesling is this Chardonnay of which only a very small parcel is grown. They garpes are harvested at the start of November, then gently pressed with all movement being under gravity. Fermentation is in stainless steel. The result is a wine with a precise mineral and fruit nose, powerfully complex fruit, and very good length. Serve 10-12 ° C on its own or with freshwater fish dishes, chicken, pork.

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Price: £17.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2008 Ried Frauenweingarten Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300070

This wine is from the 8.5 hectare Frauenweingarten vineyard, which lies between Oberloiben and Unterloiben, near to the river, and which has primarily alluvial soil types, yielding fruity rather than mineral wines. The 2008 is classic Frauenweingarten GV - a clear pale yellow colour, with a fragrant nose of spice, pepper, and hints of red berry fruit (strawberry, I think). The palate is sappy and juicy, principally very fruity, but also with flavours of lentils and rhubarb, a hint of celery, and a rich creamy texture.

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Price: £14.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2010 Ried Frauenweingarten Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300092

TN in preparation.

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Price: £15.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2008 Loibner Mühlpoint Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300074

Another Leo Alzinger masterpiece; again Mühlpoint's lighter soils give us a wine which is fruity rather than mineral in character, but this Smaragd is altogether more intense than the Federspiel. A pale green-yellow, with peppery spicy nose; on the palate really quite intense despite it's youth, again peppery, spicy, nutty, and with a lovely soft satin creamy texture. A truly excellent GV which is quite approachable now but which will repay laying down. Very small allocation.

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Price: £14.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2008 Loibner Mühlpoint Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300075

Another Leo Alzinger masterpiece; again Mühlpoint's lighter soils give us a wine which is fruity rather than mineral in character, but this Smaragd is altogether more intense than the Federspiel. A pale green-yellow, with peppery spicy nose; on the palate really quite intense despite it's youth, again peppery, spicy, nutty, and with a lovely soft satin creamy texture. A truly excellent GV which is drinking superbly now but which you can lay down for 5-10 years. Very small allocation.

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Price: £20.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300056

The grapes for this wine were picked late - the beginning of November 2007, gently pressed, and all processing used gravity rather than pumps. Fermentation took place in large oak casks, developing on fine lees. This is a complex wine; it has just the slightest hint of botrytis on the nose, along with blossom and cracked white pepper. On the palate the wine is rich, dense, and complex, with good minerality, and a malty delicate spiciness and a hint of mint. Very long, slightly earthy finish.

Serve at 10-12°C. ABV 13.5%. Residual sugar 4.0g/litre.

Parker 94 points.

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Price: £24.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2008 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300066

**(*)

TN in preparation.

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Price: £27.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2008 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007 Ried Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300059

**(*)

The flagship Steinertal vineyard is widely acknowledged as being one of the very best sites in the entire Wachau, and is also known for known for having one of the strongest mineral characteristics of any vineyard in the Loiben area.

A very pale yellow-green, with the classic spice and powerful minerals on the nose one expects from Steinertal, but also with a profusion of fruit and herbal fragrances. On the palate it is sleek and racy, already vigourously mineral, with good density. There is good bite here, with huge length with just the slightest hint of sweetness on the finish. All that plus the promise of more to come - this wine is decidedly youthful and is built for the long haul. Fruit/mineral balance very much towards the mineral. Will probably turn into a *** in a couple of years.

Parker 93 points.

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Price: £27.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007 Ried Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2008 Ried Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300071

**(*)

The flagship Steinertal vineyard is widely acknowledged as being one of the very best sites in the entire Wachau, and is also known for known for having one of the strongest mineral characteristics of any vineyard in the Loiben area.

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Price: £28.50 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2008 Ried Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Loibner Grüner Veltliner Reserve 2008 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300072

***

Leo Alzinger's goal in creating this wine was to prove just how good Grüner Veltliner can be. It is made from the very best selections of Grüner Veltliner grapes from each of the estate vineyards, all of which are in their own right of the highest quality. Generally, smaller grapes are used, these having greater concentration of flavour. As the wine comes from a mix of sites, there is a good mix of fruit and mineral characteristics. Grapes for this wine were fermentated in stainless steel tanks, with all movement gravity driven to avoid pump damage to yeast cells. The nose is powerful, with racy limey notes. The palate is immensely complex, with lush fruit including pears and citrus fruit, with a typical Grüner Veltliner spiciness, extremely well balanced residual sweetness, and subtle minerality. In this wine, Herr Alzinger's goal has been achieved; it is quite possibly the finest Grüner Veltliner you will ever taste, and is already remarkably open for such a young wine. It will age extremely well, at least 10 years, and in doing so will develop great depth of flavour. Exceptional. Miniscule allocation.

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Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Loibner Grüner Veltliner Reserve 2008 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Loibner Grüner Veltliner Reserve 2007 MAGNUMS Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300061

***

Magnums of Alzinger's GV Reserve 2007.

Just a few bottles. There may be some shipping restrictions on this product. Please call for more information.

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Price: £64.80 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Loibner Grüner Veltliner Reserve 2007 MAGNUMS Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Loibner Grüner Veltliner Reserve 2008 MAGNUMS Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300073

***

Magnums of Alzinger's GV Reserve. Just a few bottles. There may be some shipping restrictions on this product. Please call for more information.

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Price: £68.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Loibner Grüner Veltliner Reserve 2008 MAGNUMS Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Dürnsteiner Riesling Federspiel 2007 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300057

*£

A generic Riesling Federspiel from one of the top Austrian producers in one of the best locations in Austria deserves some attention as a value-for-money wine. A pale green, with a nose of fruit (mirabelle plums) and minerals, with a principally mineral and stone fruit palate. Huge length, excellent.

Parker 87 points.

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Price: £17.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Dürnsteiner Riesling Federspiel 2007 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Dürnsteiner Riesling Federspiel 2008 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300069

*£

A great Riesling Federspiel from one of the top Austrian producers in one of the best locations in Austria deserves some attention as a value-for-money wine. A pale green, with a nose of fruit (mirabelle plums) and minerals, with a principally mineral and stone fruit palate. Huge length, excellent.

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Price: £17.70 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Dürnsteiner Riesling Federspiel 2008 Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Riesling Smaragd 2006 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300053

**(*)

From grapes harvested in late October, this iconic wine has a complex opulent Riesling fragrance, with pungent herbs and ripe plums. It's dense on the palate, with a delicate yet firm texture, and a rich long finish.

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Price: £23.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Riesling Smaragd 2006 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Riesling Smaragd 2008 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300067

**(*)

From grapes harvested in late October, this iconic wine has a complex opulent Riesling fragrance, with pungent herbs and ripe plums. It's dense on the palate, with a delicate yet firm texture, and a rich long finish. Just the very slightest hint of Botrytis and rose petals. The palate is sublime, complex, with a dense firm texture, and long fine finish.

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Price: £28.80 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Riesling Smaragd 2008 Loibner Loibenberg Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Riesling Smaragd 2007 Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300063

***

The flagship Steinertal vineyard is widely acknowledged as being one of the very best sites in the entire Wachau, and is also known for known for having one of the strongest mineral characteristics of any vineyard in the Loiben area.

Parker 96 points.

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Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)

Quantity:

Riesling Smaragd 2007 Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben

Riesling Smaragd 2008 Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben
Ref: 4300068

***

The flagship Steinertal vineyard is widely acknowledged as being one of the very best sites in the entire Wachau, and is also known for known for having one of the strongest mineral characteristics of any vineyard in the Loiben area.

In stock - normally despatched within one working day.

Price: £30.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Quantity:

Riesling Smaragd 2008 Steinertal Weingut Leo Alzinger Unterloiben