Single vineyard wines from Kamptal, Austria: tasting some excellent Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from top producers
The Single Vineyard Summit, held in September 2023 in Graffnegg, was a remarkable opportunity to try a broad range of vineyard-designated wines from many of Austria’s leading producers. I tasted by region, and by vineyard, but I thought it was best to write up these wines by producer, as I’ve done here. Even though there were lots of wines to get through, tasting conditions were ideal with a sommelier service that meant the wines were brought and poured to us while we remained seated, in an ideal concentration zone.
The Kamptal is one of the Danube wine regions, neighboured by the Kremstal to the west, and Wienvertel and Wagram to the East. It’s named after the River Kamp, which flows from north to the Danube in the south.
There are 3900 hectares of vines, and a range of soil types, with Grüner Veltliner and Riesling the star turns. 130 years ago the Heiligenstein, the most famous of the Kamptal’s vineyard sites, was the only single vineyard referred to in Austria. Along with the Wachau, the Kamptal is the one of Austria’s most famed wine regions.
Allram
Allram Ried Gaisberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13% alcohol. Some depth and texture here with lovely pear and citrus fruit, showing a mineral edge to the tight, compact fruit. Very stylish. 92/100
Allram Ried Gaisberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Schist, gneiss. 13% alcohol. This is so bright and linear with explosive lemon and lime fruit, as well as good acidity and purity. Has a hint of green apple and melon but the core is lemon. Pure and precise. 94/100
Allram Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Wonderful aromatics of finely spiced citrus fruit with some smoky, stony minerality. Crystalline and precise in the mouth with pure lemony fruit and a lovely mineral quality. 94/100
Allram Ried Renner Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13%. Lovely weight and balance with sweet pear fruit and some orange peel notes, as well as a hint of white pepper. 92/100
Brandl
Brandl Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. Very precise with nice compact citrus fruit showing some mineral detail. Has nice weight and a bit of structure. 93/100
Brandl Ried Kogelberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13.5% alcohol. Mineral and finely spiced, with white pepper and crushed rocks as well as fine citrus and pear fruit, with a tapering finish. 93/100
Brandl Ried Kogelberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13.5% alcohol. Taut and precise showing dense, focused lemony fruit. Very stylish with some fine spicy, mineral framing. Lovely intensity. 94/100
Brandl Ried Lamm Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, permian sandstone. 14% alcohol. Fresh and supple with nice weight and focus to the pear fruit, with just a hint of white pepper. Lovely fruit purity here. 92/100
Bründlmayer
Bründlmayer Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Has freshness and a slight green edge to the citrus fruit with good intensity and precision. It’s compact and very limey. 92/100
Bründlmayer Ried Heiligenstein Riesling Alte Reben 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Compact and tight with bright acidity and some real density. Quite angular and reductive in style showing real intensity and high acidity. Compact and quite tart right now. 93/100
Bründlmayer Ried Käferberg Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, clay marl. 13% alcohol. Beautifully aromatic with focused white pepper and some pear fruit. In the mouth this is quite intense with high acidity, some juiciness and some lemon zest. Compact. 92/100
Bründlmayer Ried Lamm Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Some greenness on the edge here. Vivid, focused and linear with some lime oil and structure. Very tight and finishes a bit sour. 90/100
Bründlmayer Ried Loiserberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 12.5%. Compact with a green herb edge to the sweet pear and citrus fruit. The green characters are quite high in the mix. 89/100
Bründlmayer Ried Steinmassl Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 12.5%. Fresh, vivid and peppery with lovely detail to the crystalline citrus fruit. Bright and expressive with good acidity and focus. 94/100
Bründlmayer Ried Spiegel Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess. 13.5%. Some toast and spice on the nose as well as green-tinged pear fruit. The palate is compact and taut with nice intensity, and a fine spicy finish. 91/100
Dolle
Dolle Ried Gaisberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, schist, gneiss. 13.5% alcohol. Beautiful aromatics to this wine with great precision and focus, showing crystalline citrus fruit. One the palate there is great intensity with lemony fruit and beautiful detail to the texture, showing fine-grained structure. This is serious. 94/100
Dolle Ried Gaisberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, schist, gneiss. 14% alcohol. Some depth here: slightly honeyed and nutty, with an appley edge and what tastes like some oak in the mix. A little too much intrusion for me from this oak. 88/100
Ehn
Ehn Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. Lovely weight here with a touch of generosity to the bright citrus fruit, with some lovely tart lemon rind notes on the finish. 92/100
Eichinger
Eichinger Ried Gaisberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13% alcohol. Taut and precise with a nice crystalline core, showing hints of pepper and lovely mineral detail. Citrussy with just a hint of apricot, this is a beautifully focused, expressive Grüner. 95/100
Eichinger Ried Gaisberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Schist, gneiss. 13% alcohol. Wonderfully smoky and mineral on the nose as well as impactful citrus fruit. The palate is intense and mineral with powerful, layered lemon and lime fruit and perfectly integrated acidity. Sensational. 96/100
Eichinger Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Lively and bright with up-front citrus fruit and nice precision. A very open, fruity style of Riesling with a brisk finish. 93/100
Eichinger Ried Lamm Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Juicy and linear with a hint of green apple and a nice crystalline mineral streak to the pear and citrus fruit. Very stylish. 93/100
Hiedler
Hiedler Ried Gaisberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13% alcohol. Linear and expressive with fine, pure, chiselled citrus fruit and some spicy, mineral intensity on the finish. Such beauty and texture here, finishing with a lovely tapering acid line. 95/100
Hiedler Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. Bright, lively and focused with a subtle crystalline quality and fresh citrus fruit, finishing lively and very fruity. 93/100
Hiedler Ried Käferberg Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, clay marl. 13% alcohol. Has a slight smokiness and notes of lime oil and tangerine. Fruity and expressive with a peppery edge. 90/100
Hiedler Ried Kittmannsberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess. 13% alcohol. This is really appealing with nice ripe pear fruit, a touch of white pepper and some finely spiced citrus fruit. Lovely weight and balance. 93/100
Hiedler Ried Steinhaus Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13%. Delicious white pepper detail here with a nice concentration of sweet pear and citrus fruit. Has generosity but also some focus. 92/100
Hiedler Ried Schenkenbichl Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13.5%. Bright and supple showing nice purity to the pear and citrus fruit with a spicy, mineral thread as well as sweet fruit. 93/100
Hirsch
Hirsch Ried Gaisberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13% alcohol. Beautiful crystalline detail here with some white pepper and minerals, showing pear richness and great precision. Textural and detailed. 94/100
Hirsch Ried Gaisberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Mica schist. 13% alcohol. Pure and linear with sweet citrus fruit and a hint of green apple. Quite generous and smooth with nice weight in the mouth. 92/100
Hirsch Ried Grub Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess soils. 13% alcohol. Very fine texture to this wine, which shows purity and a sweet core of citrus, with some pear richness. Quite textural with a smooth finish. 92/100
Hirsch Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Some depth and texture, with sweet citrus, a subtle creaminess in the background, and a pure lemon and pear finish. Has some weight and smoothness, but brightness too. 92/100
Hirsch Ried Heiligenstein-Rotfels Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Generous, lively and bright with a core of sweet citrus fruit. Nice weight and focus here with a spicy edge to the limey fruit. 93/100
Hirsch Ried Lamm Gruner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess over the top of conglomerate. Fine and fresh with lovely energy and focus. Stony, mineral and finely spiced with bright pear and citrus with a touch of white pepper. So lovely. 94/100
Hirsch Ried Renner Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13%. Lively and bright with sweet citrus and pear fruit, showing some generosity. Ripe, open, expressive with nice weight. 93/100
Leindl
Leindl Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Slightly smoky nose, leading to a distinctive palate of bright citrus with a touch of melony richness. Has a lovely openness to the fruit. 91/100
Leindl Ried Kogelberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13% alcohol. Compact and fresh with a core of sweet citrus, showing some apple and melon richness, and then finishing fresh and focused. 92/100
Jurtschitsch
Jurtschitsch Ried Dechant Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess soils. 13% alcohol. Bright, fresh and linear with a focused lime and lemon character, as well as a hint of creaminess. Really pure fruit here with nice precision. Linear. 92/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Focused, taut and crystalline with a slight creamy undercurrent to the bright limey fruit. Long mineral finish with high acidity. Intense. 93/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Heiligenstein Riesling Alte Reben 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Has a tautness and density with intense, unfurled citrus fruit, showing good acidity and focus with boldness to the fruit. Needs time but potentially quite serious. 94/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Heiligenstein-Rotfels Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Great concentration and focus to this wine with pure citrus fruit and a good acid line. There’s a very subtle creamy edge to the fruit. Compact and fine. 93/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Heiligenstein-Steinwand Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. Compact and taut with vivid citrus fruit, a bit of structure, and some very subtle creamy notes in the background that follow through on the finish. Quite stylish. 92/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Käferberg Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, clay marl. 13% alcohol. Complex nose with a sweet honeyed edge to the floral citrus fruit. The palate has fresh pear and citrus with some brightness and some creaminess under the fruit. 93/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Loiserberg Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 12.5%. Fresh citrus fruit with some pear and green apple. Has a bit of depth to it. Restrained and linear. 92/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Loiserberg Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13%. Zesty and slightly pithy with nice intense limey fruit and good acidity. Compact and expressive with good weight and focus. 92/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Lamm Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess, permian sandstone. 13%%. Creamy dairy edge to the nose. The palate shows apples, pears and some dairy notes. Slightly salty on the finish. 89/100
Jurtschitsch Ried Schenkenbichl Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13%. Subtle dairy notes here as well as fresh pear and citrus. Has nice brightness and presence with a lovely focused finish. 91/100
Leindl
Leindl Ried Seeberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13%. So exotic and peppery on the nose, this is really vivid. Fresh pear and citrus fruit on the palate with more of that exaggerated white pepper character. Lots of appeal here. 92/100
Loimer
Loimer Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. Bright and quite intense with pure lemon and lime fruit, showing precision and structure. Lovely fruit intensity here. 93/100
Loimer Ried Käferberg Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, clay marl. 13.5% alcohol. Complex with notes of cabbage and herbs as well as focused citrus and pear fruit. Shows a slight pepperiness with lively acidity on the finish. 92/100
Loimer Ried Loiserberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Mica slate. 12.5%. Bright and linear with a core of sweet fruit. Compact citrus with good acidity. Pure and focused. 93/100
Loimer Ried Loiserberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Mica slate. 12.5. Lovely aromatics here: very pure and bright with nice intensity. Shows purity and precision with a lovely acid line. Very fresh and fine. 94/100
Loimer Ried Steinmassl Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 12.5%. Spicy, vivid and complex with nice acidity and a crystalline edge to the lemon and lime fruit. Juicy, linear and really mineral. 95/100
Schloss Gobelsberg
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Gaisberg Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13.5% alcohol. Smoky mineral nose with some tangerine and lime. The palate has a hint of cabbage and also a bit of apple, with subtle oxidative hints. 91/100
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Grub Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess. 13.5% alcohol. A compact, fresh GV with a core of sweet citrus fruit, nice texture and good acidity. Stylish and refined, and quite smooth. 92/100
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. This is superb, showing generous citrus fruit but also a finely mineral spiciness adding interest to the fruit. Bold and focused, but with some generosity. 94/100
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Lamm Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess, permian sandstone. 13.5%. Bright and linear but with some richness too, showing sweet pear and apple fruit with fine nuts and honey. Sweet spices in the mix. 91/100
Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Renner Grüner Veltliner 2021 Kamptal DAC
Loess, crystalline rocks. 13.5%. Vivid with good concentration of citrus and pear fruit, with some fine mineral notes. Juicy and alive with lovely presence. 94/100
Steininger
Steininger Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess. 13% alcohol. Orange peel and melon here with nice brightness and focus, showing a supple personality and easy fruit. 90/100
Steininger Ried Kittmannsberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess. 13.5% alcohol. Very appealing with a fine spicy, mineral framing to the sweet pear and citrus fruit. Crystalline and quite detailed, this has lovely balance and weight. Very fine, but also showing some richness. 94/100
Steininger Ried Kogelberg Grüner Veltliner Terrassen 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13.5% alcohol. A generous, ripe Riesling with sweet citrus fruit and a nice weight of fruit. Has some crystalline detail, adding interest. 92/100
Steininger Ried Kogelberg Riesling 2021 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13% alcohol. Juicy and refined with a core of ripe, vibrant citrus fruit with some depth but also a lovely mineral detail on the finish. 94/100
Steininger Ried Lamm Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess, permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. Lovely focus with bright, fresh, open pear and green apple fruit, some sweet citrus, good acidity and a subtle white pepper streak. 93/100
Steininger Ried Steinhaus Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13%. Lively and intense with a brightness to the sweet citrus fruit. Has some spicy mineral detail and good focus. 93/100
Steininger Ried Seeberg Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13%. Juicy and linear with a zesty citrus fruit core and a sweet spicy framing. Lovely vivid Riesling with real personality. 93/100
Topf
Topf Ried Gaisberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Schist. 13.5% alcohol. There’s a bit of generosity here, but also some lovely taut citrus and pear fruit with a finely spiced structural element adding a foil to the textured fruit. Very stylish. 94/100
Topf Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 14% alcohol. This has a bit of depth with nice richness and focus. Sweetly fruited with a core of lime and pear. 91/100
Topf Ried Heiligenstein-Steinwand Riesling “M” 2022 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13.5% alcohol. Lovely depth and richness to this Riesling with a sweet core of lemon and pear fruit, some fine spices and just a hint of honey. Very expressive. 93/100
Topf Ried Offenberg Grüner Veltliner 2022 Kamptal DAC
Loess. 13.5%. Fruity and open with nice weight to the pear and apple fruit. Has a generosity and ease to it. 90/100
Topf Ried Wechselberg Spiegel Riesling 2022 Kamptal DAC
Gneiss.13.5%. Juicy and vivid with a saline, crystalline quality and nice purity to the citrus fruit. Stylish, with a slight jellyish richness. 92/100
Weszeli
Weszeli Ried Heiligenstein Riesling 2018 Kamptal DAC
Permian sandstone. 13% alcohol. This shows quite a bit of evolution with some appley richness as well as mandarin and melon, and some bready depth. Has a hint of cabbage too. 89/100
Weszeli Ried Käferberg Grüner Veltliner 2018 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks, clay marl. 13% alcohol. Some development here with toast and honey, as well as bright lime. The palate has toast and pear fruit with some apple and a soft finish. 89/100
Weszeli Ried Steinmassl Riesling 2018 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 12.5%. Deep colour, with a touch of evolution, but also nice precision. Bold pear and white peach fruit with a nice acid line, showing focus and poise. Stylish and refined. 94/100
Weszeli Ried Seeberg Riesling 2018 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13%. Just a little development here with subtle toast and spice as well as sweet pear and apple fruit. Has a nice mineral twist. 92/100
Weszeli Ried Schenkenbichl Grüner Veltliner 2018 Kamptal DAC
Crystalline rocks. 13. Showing a bit of development with notes of cabbage and toast as well as some flesh. Nice pear and apple fruit. 89/100
