2007 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Trockenbeerenauslese

Moosbrugger’s 2007 Gruner Veltliner Trockenbeerenauslese – vinified and aged in a new 300-liter acacia barrel, whence I last tasted it – evinces a slightly sweaty, funky, animal note in the nose, along with suggestions of candied lemon and orange rind, grilled pineapple, and crystallized ginger. Terrifically concentrated and surprisingly firm in feel, this adds heaps of white pepper to its zest and ginger for a finish that is memorably sizzling and only imaginable from Gruner Veltliner. This impressive elixir surely has at least a ten year potential, and I look forward to tasting it again. Michael Moosbrugger did not begin his main white wine harvest – even for lighter-weight Gruner Veltliner – until mid-October. Unlike most Krems area growers he also picked nobly sweet wine, based on a late bloom of botrytis. Moosbrugger seems to have achieved some (considering the weather) surprisingly successful reds in 2007, having painstakingly cut off half of each cluster to inhibit the development of rot, then harvested prior to any of his whites. (I’ll report on those reds after I have re-tasted them from bottle. For notes on two outstanding 2006 vintage reds which have since lived up to their promise in bottle, consult my report in issue 177.) Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300