2019 Martin Muthenthaler Veisslinger Stern Riesling, Wachau

From about 35-year-old vines on shallow mica schist, the 2019 Viesslinger Stern Riesling is beautifully floral and pure on the intense, concentrated and flinty/stony nose, which is phenolic at the beginning and shows ripe and dried apricot aromas spiced with schist chips and then shows cantuccini notes after a while in the glass. Crystalline, vital and finessed on the first palate, this is an intense, elegant and firm dry Riesling. It is initially almost austere on the concentrated and very intense finish, which is still a bit tannic and needs some years ointhe bottle to get the balance right and the hedonist lucky. Oh, wait, use a carafe or a big glass and learn what air can give to the wine: even more intensity, charm and rich, aromatic, even juicy fruit and an amazingly tensioned finish. 13.5% alcohol. Tasted at the domaine in June 2021.

95-96 points Stephan Reinhardt robertparker.com Dec 2021 Drink 2027-2045

A 'one-man' operation in the truest sense of the phrase, Martin was a truck driver for Domäne Wachau for 20 years before he started making wine of his own in the Spitzer Graben valley in Austria's famous Wachau region. Since 2006 he has been cultivating 3 hectares of vines - all organic since the 2010 vintage - planted on poor rocky soils at high altitudes. All fruit is hand harvested by Martin, and fermented spontaneously with ambient yeast.