Nikolaihof Vinoteck Reisling 2002

Nikolaihof Vinoteck Reisling 2002

Nikolaihof still functions as an independent, bio-diverse farm, growing all kinds of herbs, fruits and flowers, tending beehives for honey, and even using seeds for grapeseed oil. The average age of the vines at the estate is 47 years old and the vineyards are farmed without herbicides, pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or synthetic sprays. Instead, stinging nettles, manure, valerian root, and other specially produced preparations are used. Natural fermentations are the rule, in Austrian oak vessels, deep in the cold, 700-year-old cellar. Long lees contact and aging are the norms, with some wines aging as long as 15 years before being bottled. 

For these 'Vinothek' wines, the best parts of the harvest are blended and held for an extended period in cask.

Tasting Notes 

At first deep, dark and mysterious. Just like the Nikolaihof cellar, where this dry riesling spent 16 years in barrel. Then, a minty freshness develops that leaps out of the glass at you. By some miracle, it manages to taste ancient and lively at once. The finish is very long with great herbal complexity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Demeter certified. Drink or hold.

Grape: Riesling

Ageing: 16 years of maturation in a wooden cask holding 3,500 litres

Best served with: Great with traditional white fare light salads, light starters, fish, and white meats but also a surprisingly good pair with spicy foods like Indian and Thai dishes.

Serving temperature: 12º - 13ºC. Needs decanting.