The 2007 Gruner Veltliner Achleiten Stockkultur – technically halbtrocken (and thus, not Smaragd) – was low in acid last year, then turned around and exhibited the highest acidity of any Gruner Veltliner in this year’s collection. As Bodenstein points out, he didn’t go to the enormous effort of reviving this genetically diverse collection of ancient vines (detailed in issue 177) anticipating predictable results, on the contrary, he did it in order to be amazed – and this wine amazes! Lime and rhubarb inform a sappy, bright, pungent palate with smoky toasted nut, bitter coffee, and wet stone low tones. This is opulent in texture yet bright, and practically savage and unruly compared to the Wachstum Bodenstein bottling, finishing with a near landslide of low-toned and mineral characteristics. More impressive than it is fun to drink for now, it deserves to be re-visited within the year and probably has a decade’s aging potential. This was one of our most expensive and laborious harvests ever, says Toni Bodenstein, adding that if the mere two bottlings he does of Federspiel had not this year represented a full 50% of his production, the attention and selectivity necessary for the quality of all the other wines would not have been possible. Bodenstein notes that he didn’t risk long skin contact this year, as he did not want to risk losing tartaric acidity to precipitation.Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700