Creamy yet bright in a juxtaposition practically definitive of Pinot Blanc, Neumayer’s 2010 Weissburgunder Der Wein Vom Stein is alluringly scented with almond extract, heliotrope and apple blossom, then fills the mouth with juicy apple fruit accented by orange rind and lightly-toasted hazelnut and the piquancy of apple pip in an otherwise generously juicy; buoyant (though at 13% alcohol); both soothing and stimulating finish. Ludwig Neumayer de-acidified at the lower end of his portfolio, especially in Riesling, but the results retain plenty of pep and incisive refreshment. Given the high extract that resulted from lots of rain, he notes, there was lots of buffering for the acids, and the thick skins and paucity of juice also had an ameliorative effect on acidity, effectively enhancing skin contact even in those grapes that were almost immediately pressed. “In fact,” notes Neumayer, “the material was so dense that you could only press very slowly.” Although his top Rieslings fermented through February, like the rest of this collection they were bottled already in April.Importer: Winemonger, Los Angeles, CA www.winemonger.com

The 2007 Weissburgunder Der Wein Vom Stein came from largely healthy Rotenbart fruit harvested mid-October, although Neumayer says the old vines in the Zwirch succumbed to some dry botrytis. The upshot is that even though it is the highest alcohol wine in this year’s collection, it harbors a full percentage and a half less than the 15% alcohol 2006 (which still did not go dry). Fresh apple, toasted hazelnut, and citrus zest on the nose lead to a palate alluringly dominated by orange- and hazelnut cream, yet shot through with luscious primary melon and citrus juiciness and leading to a lithe, lively finish. The faintly herbal, bitter, Sauvignon-cast that this shares with so many wines of the vintage is arguably a bit un-Pinot-like, and one wonders whether the wine will seem riper as it evolves in bottle over the next several years. That it will prove versatile at table in its varietal-typical marriage of creaminess and refreshment is certain.On account of the hot, dry July, Neumayer says he only did one spraying against mildew and almost no manicuring of the foliage. He picked well into October, since he did not find he was risking such high potential alcohol as his 2006s had reached already in the early days of that month. These wines have what he calls the “cracking” of acidity that invigorates and refreshes. (Note that because of a change in importers at the beginning of this year, prices on these wines were not yet available to me, and the wines themselves will only begin arriving later in the year. Readers should consult my reviews of the 2006s in issue 177 for a ballpark idea of eventual retail prices.) The wines of this years’ Riesling collection chez Neumayer were all very slow to ferment and ended up completely dry at the upper twelve’s in alcohol.Importer: Winemonger, Los Angeles, CA; www.winemonger.com

Neumayer's 2006 Weissburgunder Der Wein Vom Stein looks like a freak on paper - and perhaps it is, but, if so, a delicious one. At 15% alcohol even with ten grams of residual sugar behind, it would probably not -work- except for its relatively high, ripe acidity. Flowers, brown spices, citrus zest, and raw hazelnut in the nose go on to inform an almost shockingly exuberant and bright yet creamy-textured palate. Char and chalk in the finish lend a decisive note and perhaps a bit of unnecessary austerity. But when this already remarkable wine has enjoyed a couple of years in bottle I think it will amaze you, and certainly it should follow in a tradition of Pinot Blanc from this estate that is worth cellaring for 8-10 years. I think it highly unlikely, given this wine's freshness, and lack of any sign of betrayal, that its high alcohol will ever bring it down. Neumayer reports that a warm wind blew through the Traisental in the last days of September, after which he began picking on October 3; just over a month later, he was finished. I have been an enthusiastic proponent of the Sauvignon experiments of Neumayer and a number of Danubian growers, but it is impossible to overlook the fact that - in U.S. dollars, at least - excellent Sancerre can still be had for not much more than half the price of the Giess, and that with the Stein, we are in Dagueneau territory. Austrian Sauvignon outside of Styria may still count as an exotic, but if the wine is excellent, its price tends to be set with the high tariff that applies to single-vineyard Styrian Sauvignon in mind.Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700

The 2005 Weissburgunder Der Wein Vom Stein smells of raw hazelnuts and a whiff of wood smoke. Luscious and juicy on the palate, exuding baked apple and hazelnut, it manages to be light on its feet and refreshing despite 14.5% alcohol, and finishes energetically with clear fruit and chalky minerality. It might gain some complexity with time and will certainly prove versatile at the dinner table for at least 6-8 years. Incidentally, I was not at all persuaded by Neumayer’s rather obviously sweet and graceless first attempt at a Weissburgunder Beerenauslese. Once again, Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700

This wine was recommended, but no tasting note was given.Neumayer, located in the little known Traisental south of Krems, has been one of my personal favorite sources for Austrian wine, so it is a pleasure to report that he now has an American importer. Importer: Weygandt-Metzler Importing, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800