Weinrieder
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Proprietor: Friedrich Rieder Website: Weinrieder Winery Country Location: Austria His name is Friedrich Rieder, but he calls himself Weinrieder. "I want to distinguish myself from all the dozens of Rieders around here", he says. Fritz, as he is called by his friends is proud that he has established the name Weinrieder not only in the neighboring villages and towns but that this name has become an internationally recognized brand. Fritz Rieders' wines are of a breathtaking intensity: an unbelievable fruitiness paired with a racy, almost electric acid are characteristics of his style. Located in Kleinhadersdorf near the wine town of Poysdorf in the Weinviertel, the largest Austrian appellation, he grows almost exclusively white grapes. This region is renowned for supplying most of Austria's Champagne-style sparkling wines. The area between Vienna and the second largest city in the Czech Republic, Brno (Brünn) is also sometimes referred to as "Veltliner Land" since the Grüner Veltliner is the most common grape in this region.
Already in 1987 the Falstaff Magazine awarded Weinrieder the prestigious title of Wine Maker of the Year. His reputation has continued to grow ever since. At the highly regarded Hamburg Wine Salon 2001, organized by eminent German wine critic Mario Scheuermann, Weinrieder received the Grand Prix d'Excellence for the Collection of the Year and won the top award for his ice wine against contenders such as his fellow Austrian sweet wine super star Alois Kracher.  WINES. The Weinrieder winery aims to produce white wines with charisma. "It is known for its assortment of light and dry white wines, powerful premium quality whites with aging potential, and above all, sweet wines of international class that stand out for their fantastic interplay between sweetness and acidity. Emphasis is placed on traditional varieties like the peppery Grüner Veltliner, racy Rieslings, elegant Chardonnays and solid Pinot Blancs. The prized late harvest cornucopia brings Eiswein (ice wine), Trockenbeerenauslese aka TBA (dry berry selection), and a Strohwein (vin de paille) as a special treat, for which unscathed berries are spread out to dry on straw for at least 100 days." Peter Moser, The Ultimate Austrian Wine Guide 2002
The major hallmark of the Weinrieder dessert wines is the perfect balance of sumptuous sweetness with crystal clear, razor sharp acidity. These distinguished and age worthy wines all carry the explicit signature of the wine maker. Weinrieder also excels at producing wonderfully dense dry wines which typically exhibit beautiful complex fruit flavors, again nicely held in check by the acidity of the Weinviertel's relatively northern location within Austria. VINEYARDS AND WINEMAKING. The grapes for all these categories are sourced from Weinrieder's approximately 30 acre vineyards, which extend on the best south and southwest facing sites with loess and loam soils. The single vineyards Birthal, Kugler, Schneiderberg, Hohenleiten, and Bockgaerten have long become synonymous with quality. The soils are mainly loess and loam, imparting a good touch of minerality to the grapes. Early and consistent work in the vineyards, in particular a very rigorous selection, the so called 'green harvest', is mandatory to achieve top quality grapes. At harvest the few remaining grapes are so good that the wine making can rely mainly on the natural quality of the grape material.  The equipment in the cellar is relatively simple and straightforward, in a way it continues the tradition of the old cellar rows for which the Weinviertel is so well known. Here you will find no fancy technology, just stainless steel tanks for cool fermentation, a collection of small oak barrels, and one single machine, a pneumatic press. This machine is also used to produce the Eiswine. The still frozen grapes are pressed so that the concentrated sugary must flows out while the watery contents of the grapes will remain in the press as ice. Most important though is the right timing and the careful execution of the harvest. It requires a great deal of patience from the wine maker, who has to hold out for the first frosty nights. Only when the morning temperature is lower than minus seven degrees Celsius (-7∞ C = 19.4∞ F) will the grapes on the vine be frozen so solidly that ice wine can be made. Ice wine is being produced in very small quantities. Depending on the specific climatic conditions of each vintage, Weinrieder might be able to get 2000 to 4000 half bottles (375ml), if that much!
AwardsWine Maker of the Year, Falstaff 1987 Three Grapes in the Gault Millau guide Top 50 Austrian Wineries News Magazine "One of the Best Wineries in the World" Wine Magazine Winner A la Carte Magazine Wine of the Year Hamburger Wein Salon 2001 Collection of the Year Hamburger Wein Salon 2001 Wines:
Grüner Veltliner DAC2009 $14.95 Weinrieder is located in the center of the Weinviertel, one hour driving time north of Vienna on ... more > 
Riesling Bockgärten II2002 $24.95 "Deep yellow-green with golden highlights. Ripe quince and banana aromas complicated by a whiff o... more > 
Riesling Eiswein Schneiderberg - 375ml2001 REDUCED PRICE! "Medium orange-gold in color and clearly headed towards a b... more > 
Riesling Eiswein Schneiderberg - 375ml2002 REDUCED PRICE! "This has vibrant acidity and a full range of ripe apples a... more > |
 Grüner Veltliner DAC Klassic Weinviertel 2004 A GrüVe with the classic "pfepperl" as the Austrians call it lovingly. No wonder it’s their favorite summer thirst quencher. Medium yellow-green color, hints of fresh apple on the nose, Lively, uncomplicated, fresh, fruity and animated. A well-balanced Veltliner that showcases the new DAC appellation. Trinkspass—the joy of drinking! What does DAC mean? For lovers of Grüner Veltliner a new era has dawned. DAC is short for Districtus Austriae Controllatus, or "Austrian controlled origin".  Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben 2002 This is a totally different animal than the crisp style of Veltiner. This one comes from 45 year-old vines and sees malolactic fermentation in oak barrels giving it huge concentration, texture and quite unctuous qualities. The color is pale lemony green and the nose has notes of straw, white peach, zesty lemon and a hint of mint. On the palate there is a massive, late-harvest-like attack with a tension between almost painfully concentrated fruit and mineral saltiness, and a sweet edge to very ripe, nectarine and peach fruit. There is spiciness too in this wine, and a note of orange to the acidity that balances all that power and concentration into the long finish. A bit of a mouthful this, but highly impressive stuff. Old vine Grüner at this price? This is an amazing intense voluptuous and open style of Austria`s great white grape. Drink it with anything. Falstaff 90 Points Riesling Bockgärten II 2002 Previous vintages of this wine have made their name on the international stage, but this one surpasses them all! Riesling – pure, elegant, dense, finely structured, marvelous residual sweetness. Fritz Rieder selects only super ripe berries for this late harvest in his premier Riesling vineyard. Light yellow, citrus and floral aromas, mineral and citrus notes. Lively style. This wine can age forever. Falstaff 93 Points  Welschriesling Eiswein Hohenleiten 2001 Golden yellow, gold-yellow, spicy honey notes, fresh hay and green apple flavors, peach jam. A racy and classy wine, yet with so much elegance that it is already drinkable. A delicate style eiswein with great length. Enormous cellar life guaranteed. Chardonnay Eiswein Birthal Weinviertel 2001 Yes, a Chardonnay Ice Wine! Powerful, rich and smooth with a honey rich nectar flavor of apricot & grapefruit and candied pears. "Brilliant amber golden hue. Herbal tea, heather, dried apple and honey aromas. Medium-full with excellent concentration, this is a lush and lavishly styled offering with a lengthy, multi-layered finish that is moderately sweet with vibrant acidity." Beverage Tasting Institute An absolutely fascinating play on sweet fruit with a substantial acid backbone. Very long cellar potential. Beverage Tasting Institute: 92 points (Exceptional) |