Franz Hirtzberger Rotes Tor Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2022

Weingut Franz Hirtzberger is a family estate at Spitz, in the Wachau, where five generations have worked vineyards that trace back to the thirteenth century. The Rotes Tor site sits on terraces between the mountains and the Danube, on weathered primary rock and loess. That combination is central to the wine: the stony gneiss soils and steep slopes give minerality and grip, while the river moderates the climate and the wide day to night temperature swing preserves acidity and slows ripening. Federspiel is the middle Wachau ripeness category, drier and lighter than the richer Smaragd wines, so the wine stays fresh at 12 per cent. Ageing on the lees adds a fine texture and roundness without oak. The colour is pale with a green tint. The nose shows green apple, pear, citrus peel and dried herbs, with the white pepper spice typical of Grüner Veltliner. The palate is dry and taut, the acidity clean, the finish stony and long. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees in a white wine glass.