Barbara Ohlzelt Gemischter Satz Gut Gegen Nordwind, QUW Niederosterreich

Before an abrupt change of career 20 years ago, Barbara Ohlzelt used to work in TV, Drama and Media. In this earlier life she met and became friends with Daniel Glattauer. Daniel is famous in Austria for having written a best-selling novel called ‘Gut Gegen Nordwind’ , an email-based love story, which has been translated into 26 different languages … which then became a play … which became a critically acclaimed film … which was translated into English as ‘The Space Between The Lines’. Daniel has a small vineyard in neighbouring Wagram planted with Gruner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and Gruner Silvaner. It is from these grapes (predominantly the first two) that Barbara makes this beautiful, loosely Burgundian style of Gemischter Satz. Maybe we should get some copies of the book from the Austrian Publisher?..

Production 

Gut Gegen’ is a Gemischter Satz so the constituent varieties … in this case predominantly Gruner and Roter Veltliner, a little Pinot Blanc and a small addition of Gruner Sylvaner … are grown together in the same vineyard, harvested on the same day and co-fermented (natural yeast) in stainless steel. Selection is rigorous and very much helped by what is effectively a late green harvest when Barbara takes a pre harvest for the production of Verjus. Pressing is super gentle, never more than 1 bar and only whole grape pressing, never pre-mashed grapes. After initial fermentation the wine stays on fine lees for a few months before transfer to old Acacia barrels for a further short stay before bottling.

Tasting Note 

Here’s a wine that’s speaks very well for itself. A truly lovely and wonderfully inviting nose of dry honey, warm butter and maybe soft, ripe gooseberries gets things off to a flying start. It’s a Gemischter Satz so it’s about place at least as much as it is about fruit, and this particular wines strikes us as being about shape, texture and movement as much as it is about flavour too. The opening ‘baby plumpness’ gives way to a lovely gentle spiciness in the middle whilst a delicious, almost urgent acidity combines with an appetising touch of bitterness at the finish. Thinking about quite decent class white Burgundy seems helpful on the one hand and distracting on the other, the general ‘shape’ is close, but this is very much capable of standing on its own two feet and being judged for what it is without comparison. Its heart is dense and properly sleek with that exciting blend of fruitiness and stoniness that characterises so many genuinely ‘serious’ wines. Attractively undemanding yet at the same time properly smart. Lovely!.

Food Match 

Fresh, crushed peas with a suggestion of mint and some ricotta served on toast. Can’t see a nice herb stuffed wild Sea Bass being much of a problem here either!