Austrian Riesling: 'Stony' bliss

I like to say I love Austrian Rieslings, said Eric Asimov in The New York Times. But after a recent blind tasting, I realized what I really love is the idea of them. Recent vintages vary by year, region, and producer. The ones I love are dry, structured wines with “stony, pure” mineral flavors. The three below are “phenomenally refreshing,” with textures “that feel so good in the mouth you simply do not want to stop drinking.”

2008 Graf Hardegg Niederösterreich ($19). Our panel’s favorite was also the best value, a “tangy, energetic, and plain delicious” Riesling.

2007 Kartäuserhof Wachau ($40). From Austria’s “most prestigious wine region,” this “taut and refreshing” wine boasts “good structure and complex flavors of minerals and flowers.”

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

2008 F.X. Pichler Wachau ($42). This “well-balanced” bottle oozes “pleasing flavors of citrus and herbs and a gentle minerality.”