Tasted from tank, Hiedler’s 2010 Gruner Veltliner Kittmannsberg November conveys an impressive sense of concentration and energy, with red currant, cassis, and nettle tartly reminiscent of Ruwer Riesling or Sauvignon allied to grapefruit, mirabelle, and blond tobacco. There is an archetypical Hiedler sense of schmaltz and leesy richness, yet – without disharmony – allied to brightness and invigoration. Peppery and crystalline mineral impingements along with the pungency of rosemary and lavender add to the stimulation of a reverberative finish. This should prove terrific for 8-10 years if not longer. As active as is this wine’s personality is, I suspect that a tasting note from tank represents even more of a moving target than usual. (In other recent incarnations, the Hiedler bottling labeled “November” incorporated a more significant share of fruit from the geologically very different Hasel and Schenkenbichl.) Ludwig Hiedler – whose overall account of vintage 2010 can be found leading-off my introduction to this report – notes that “given such a small crop, ripeness wasn’t that bad once you got into October; and we started picking relatively early so as not to risk further crop loss and so as to avoid botrytis. All that was left to pick in November was the Heiligenstein and Maximum Riesling; Weissburgunder and Chardonnay; and the Kittmannsberg (Gruner Veltliner),” that last a good thing, since Hiedler has for years bottled its fruits under the name “November Harvest” (recently shortened to “November”)! Hiedler has taken an increasingly passive and leisurely approach to fermentation and elevage – as described in my introductions to his 2005 and 2006 collections in issues 160 and 177, where further details on the sites he farms will also be found. His wines tend to undergo malo-lactic transformation as a matter of course, not to mention enjoy long lees contact, and thus his approach to ameliorating 2010’s high acidity was already a foregone conclusion.Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Creamy and lush, with rich flavors of ripe pear, grapefruit, baked apple and spice. The pure-tasting finish lingers with plenty of mineral notes. Drink now through 2014.??–KM??Region: Austria / Nieder?sterreich / Kamptal Select to Add