The Conservative Innovation

So renowned is the Alpine nature of Austria, that it not only appears on postcards, but also is referred to in the national anthem, sung to the melody of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Freimaurerkantate, K. 623. But Austria is not all mountains: to the east of magnificent Vienna begins the Pannonian – otherwise known as Carpathian – Basin of Central Europe.
Burgenland is both a Bundesland (Federal State) and a wine region, and it is where Neusiedlersee (Lake Neusiedl), a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by Austria and Hungary, is situated. In 2012, Neusiedlersee was granted the status of DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus), equivalent to the French AOC, but then in elegant Austrian style, Latin is of course preferred to any vernacular language.
Due to its sunny, warm and dry climate, Burgenland is the key region of Austria’s burgeoning red wines. There, winemakers prefer indigenous varieties such as Blaufränkisch, Sankt Laurent and Zweigelt, as opposed to the ubiquitous Bordeaux or Rhône blends. To their credit, fine Austrian red wines can be every bit as substantial as Bordeaux, and as elegant as Burgundy. For those who have a sweet tooth, Neusiedlersee is home to many fine sweet wines, especially in the categories of Beerenauslese, Ausbruch and Trockenbeerenauslese.
Weingut Meinklang has been a family-owned estate for many years. While it adheres strictly to organic viticulture, Weingut Meinklang is simultaneously very innovative in winemaking. In addition to its authentic and characterful wines, the estate also produces einkorn and emmer wheat, spelt, topaz apple and Angus cattle, continuing the Pannonian tradition of mixed farming. Naturalness and purity, it seems, are the estate’s overriding principles.

  Meinklang Graupert Grauburgunder 2012
This single-varietal Grauburgunder (ie Pinot Gris) came from unpruned vines, hence the name Graupert, meaning “wild” in the local dialect. Using only wild yeasts, nightlong maceration was followed by months of maturation on lees. Old amber with bright copper reflex, the adventurous and unusual nose emanates mandarin peel, hawthorn, jujube and sweet ginger, decorated by orange blossom. Braced by ample acidity, the confident and energetic palate provides orange peel, yuzu, apricot and ginger spice, infused with rosemary. Medium-full bodied at 13.5%, the potent entry continues through a spicy mid-palate, leading to a commanding finish. This is the quintessential orange wine.

Meinklang Konkret Sankt Laurent 2010
A single-varietal Sankt Laurent, a richly flavoured and deeply coloured Austrian variety with an interestingly unclear heritage, creatively matured in pure bentonite concrete eggs. Deep garnet with cardinal-carmine rim, the attractive and perfumed nose effuses cassis, black cherry, smoked spice and tobacco, elaborated with sous bois and geranium. Supported by well-balanced acidity and velvety tannins, the elegant and scented palate supplies blackberry, plum, smoked spice, dark chocolate, wild mushroom and game. Medium-full bodied at 13.5%, the profuse entry carries onto a complex mid-palate, leading to a spiced finish. If tasted blind, one could easily mistake this for a premier cru Gevrey-Chambertin or Pommard.

Meinklang Traminer Eiswein 2012
A single-varietal Traminer, harvested whilst frozen during the first frosty night in winter, patiently fermented with only ambient yeast and briefly matured on lees. Incandescent citrine with brilliant amber-tangerine reflex, the opulent and profound nose radiates mandarin peel, Seville orange, lychee, dried apricot and gingerbread, embellished by rose petal. Buttressed by abundant acidity, the baroque and voluptuous palate oozes dried peach, crystallised clementine, candied coconut, sweet ginger and marzipan, adorned with orange blossom. Full-bodied, unctuously textured and medium-sweet at 15.5%, the vibrant entry evolves into a luxurious mid-palate, leading to an operatic finish. A truly compelling Eiswein, intriguingly only as sweet as a Spätlese.

To explore the organic innovations of Weingut Meinklang, contact Mr Niklas Peltzer; W: www.meinklang.at; E: [email protected]

by Jacky I.F. Cheong

Jacky I.F. Cheong is a legal professional by day and columnist by night. Having spent his formative years in Britain, France, and Germany, he regularly writes about wine, fine arts, classical music, and politics in several languages.