Nastl Riesling Sparkles in Austria’s Langenlois

November 25, 2016
By winepleasures

The Nastl winery is a celebrated winery in the Kamptal area of Austria, in the lovely town of Langenlois.  They are a particularly well-known producer of the Grüner Veltliner in Austria.  Due to the specialization of this grape, they are able to offer five different types of wines made from Grüner Veltliner grown in their own vineyards.

Nastl Riesling Sekt 50 Great Sparkling Wines of the WorldThe tradition of winemaking in the Nastl family dates back to as early as 1656.  For nearly 400 years, the Nastl family has been creating wines of outstanding quality in Austria.  The heads of the family today are Günter and Renate.  They, alongside their children Christian, Alexander and Petra, have taken the winemaking to a whole new level of excellence.  The entire family exudes special passion for food and wine.

Nastl Riesling Sekt 50 Great Sparkling Wines of the WorldAfter nearly two decades of growing grapes and wine making, the family decided that it was time for a new cellar.  The idea was to combine the typical underground cellar, which is carved deeply into the loess beneath the winery, with a new cellar that can meet all the requirements for state-of-the-art winemaking.  It was in 2003 that the new cellar was inaugurated with the first harvest.  The three level cellar is a marriage of four hundred years of wine making tradition and more efficient modern wine making techniques.

Nastl Riesling Sekt 50 Great Sparkling Wines of the WorldLangenlois, hometown of the Nastl family, is the biggest wine town in Austria.  Situated in the romantic Kamptal region of Lower Austria, only 70 km northwest of Vienna.  The landscape is a picturesque expanse of rivers and rolling hills dotted with castles, manors and wineries. The name of this region comes from the river Kamp, which flows through this area and lends special qualities to the terroir here.

Nastl Riesling Sekt 50 Great Sparkling Wines of the WorldThis area is famous for not only the aforementioned Grüner Veltliner, but also Riesling and Muskateller (also known as Muscat Ottonel).  The terroir is perfect for these grape varietals. The sandstone slopes are very steep, so only a thin layer of soil is retained, and exposure to the sun is high.  Riesling thrives on steep slopes such as these.  The micro-climate and soils are perfect for growing grapes to create delicate and refreshing wines.  The atmospheric conditions allow an interplay between hot days and cool nights, and the terroir is mainly rock, silt and loess.  These are some of the factors that impart lively aromas, subtle fruit, complexity and bright acidity to the wine.

The Nastl family not only produce some of the most remarkable wines of the area, they have also run a special restaurant, known as the Heuriger, for over 40 years!  This luminous, cozy space is nestled in a grove of walnut trees near the Nastl winery.  The restaurant is open for a few weeks at a time, only three times per year (April, August and October); to offer carefully selected pairings of traditional Austrian cuisine with their exquisite wine.  They also host tastings and special events.

The Nastl winery offers tours and tastings, and reservations must be made in advance directly through the winery.

Nastl has the following sparkling wine amongst the 50 Great Sparkling Wines of the World 2016>>

Riesling Sekt (Silver medal with 93 pts) Mango, papaya, candied fruit and melon with hints of flowers. Palate is medium bodied and fruity, boasting a great seam of acidity. Youthful. Front Cover 50 Great Sparkling Wines of the World 2016

 

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