An impressive line-up of wines from this Langenlois producer, known
rather confusingly by two names (Weingut Sonnhof and Familie
Jurtschitsch). The estate is run by the three Jurtschitsch brothers,
Edwin, Paul and Karl. Sharing a remarkable family resemblance, they
inherited it from their father Josef in 1972, and neatly divide the
labour between them (Edwin tends the vines, Paul makes the wine and
Karl is responsible for flogging it). The estate covers 55 ha of
vines, which are tended according to ecological principles. As far as
I know they are without a UK agent, which is a shame: it would be nice
to see some of these wines on the UK market.
'Grü Ve' Grüner Veltliner 2000
Nice, fresh nose with some fruity notes. Fresh and clean palate
with good acidity. Good/very good
Loiserberg Grüner Veltliner 2000
From a single vineyard; 12.5% alcohol. Ripe fruity nose with a
touch of honey and a fresh character. Good acidity and a touch of
spice on the palate. Fresh and interesting. Very good+
Schenkenbichl Grüner Veltliner 2000
Another single vineyard wine; 14% alcohol. Lovely rich nose with a
creamy, honeyed edge and a slight spiciness. Very refined. Rich
rounded palate with a nice texture and a spicy finish. A huge wine.
Very good/excellent
Alte Reben Grüner Veltliner 1999
Made from 40 year old vines; 13.5% alcohol. Wonderfully intense,
spicy nose with a sweet honeyed edge. Rich, ripe palate shows green
herby elements and spice, together wine some honeyed notes. Complex
stuff, with a touch of residual sugar. Excellent
Spiegel Grüber Veltliner Reserve 2000
This high-end Grüner Veltliner spends 3 months in barriques and
weighs in at 15% alcohol. Wondefully rich, spicy nose is rounded,
honeyed and complex. Intense, rich-textured palate is ripe and full
with a touch of residual sugar, and displays spicy notes and sweet
honeyed fruit, all kept fresh by the high acidity. It's a big wine,
quite tart in character and a bit alcoholic. Over the top? Very
good/excellent
Platin Riesling 2000
12% alcohol. Very modern fruity nose showing aromatic floral,
honeyed notes. Full fruity palate with good acidity. An easy drinker.
Good/very good
Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling 2000
13% alcohol. Racy nose displays aromatic, spicy notes and some
complex honeyed character. Lovely rich, spicy palate with good
complexity and balance, and a bone dry finish. Lovely stuff. Very
good/excellent
Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling Auslese 2000
13% alcohol. Harvested mid-November onwards. Lovely pure nose of
citrus, honey and spice, with a pure creamy edge. Very classy.
Complex, spicy and sweet on the palate with a rich, fat texture and
great balance. Immensely rich and complex. Excellent
Ried Ladner Chardonnay Reserve 1998
Spends 7 months in medium-toast Allier oak barrels; 13.5% alcohol.
Sonnhof have 3 ha of Chardonnay vines, grown since 1988. Deep
yellow/gold colour with a lovely rich, toasty nose with ripe, honeyed
tropical fruit notes. The palate is quite classy, showing rich nutty
fruit and well integrated oak. Stunning stuff. Excellent
Grüner Veltliner Beerenauslese 1998
13% alcohol and 85 g/litre residual sugar. Fresh, intense spicy
nose with a sweet edge. Complex, spicy palate with a rich, herby
character. Lovely fat texture, but not too overpowering. Very
good/excellent
Grüner Veltliner Trockenbeerenauslese 1998
11.5% alcohol. Intense nose shows pronounced citrus fruit
character with a spicy acid edge. Very sweet and unctuous on the
palate: luscious, rich and hedonistic. Good balance, but verging on
fatness. Very good/excellent
Zwiegelt 1999
A red wine. Langenlois is not known for its red wines, but there
is a strong local demand. Youthful, fruity nose of ripe cherries
carries through to the palate, with some bubblegum-like notes. Quite
like Beaujolais in character. Good/very good
Rotspon 1999
A blend of roughly 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Zwiegelt, 10% Merlot and
just a trace of St Laurent, matured in older oak barrels. Bright
purple colour, with a touch of bright fruit on the nose. The palate
shows cherry and raspberry fruit with some tannic structure. Solid if
slightly unexciting effort. Very good