GRAPE: 40% Grüner Veltliner, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Pinot Blanc, 10% Rheinriesling, 5% Neuburger
SKIN CONTACT: 8 days
REGION: Burgenland, Austria
PRODUCER: Gerhard Pittnauer was given the reins of his vineyard in the mid-1980′s after the unexpected death of his father. Gerhard, then 18 years old, had to train himself to make wine. So he tends 15 hectares, half of which he owns and half of which he rents, alongside his wife Brigitte to create what they call living wines. All work is done manually from composting to pruning. There is no calendar that drives them. Nothing is rushed: they believe in quality over speed. They taste for perfect ripeness, select the cleanest grapes, and begin the wine in the cellar in response to the conditions of the vintage. They do incorporate a bit of modern technology: a pneumatic press, temperature-controlled steel tanks and pumps, all to ensure the purity and freshness of the fruit remains.
VINIFICATION PROCESS: Grapes are hand harvested and see 8-14 days maceration. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeast before the wine is transferred 80% to old oak and 20% to amphora to mature. Unfiltered, unfined, no added SO2.
TASTING NOTES: Light bodied, honey, dried pineapple, orange peel
PAIRINGS: Hunan style ginger chicken
Mix and match 3, 6 or 12 bottles!
