Klause am Berg Riesling trocken 2012

Wine description for Klause am Berg Riesling trocken 2012 by Nikolaihof

Colour & appearance

Bright, mature lemon yellow – a wine that shows its decade of bottle age without appearing old.

Nose

A broad yet delicate aromatic profile: golden stone fruit, honeydew melon and grapefruit, accompanied by an almost vegetal undertone of sugar snap peas and carrots. Tarragon and lemon balm lend herbal depth to the bouquet – sweetish in impression, finely woven into the overall picture.

Palate

Light-footed and racy at once: the acidity remains present after twelve years, yet is fully integrated. Dense, round and rich, with a concentration that never feels heavy – tension right through to the last drop.

Finish

Long, cool and mineral, with lingering herbal freshness.

Terroir & origin

The Klause is a parcel on the uppermost ridge of the Steiner Gaisberg – not an officially registered vineyard site, but the highest, terraced section of the cru, named after a hermitage. Situated between 230 and 330 metres above sea level, southeast-facing and well-ventilated, the vines grow on Gföhl gneiss, mica schist and amphibolite. The surrounding forest creates its own microclimate; the vineyard name Gaisberg has been documented since 1215.

Grape variety & vinification

Riesling from Austria’s oldest estate: Nikolaihof stands on Roman foundations dating back to 63 BC and has been managed by the Saahs family since 1894 – biodynamic and Demeter-certified since 1971. The musts ferment spontaneously in large Slavonian oak casks; patience in the Roman vaulted cellar is a core principle here.

Food recommendations

The herbal spice and ripe fruit pair beautifully with steamed char with tarragon butter, Viennese fried chicken, asparagus with hollandaise sauce or Asian dishes with lemongrass.

Special features

An Archive Release 2024: the wine left the estate only after more than a decade of maturation – a rarity that demonstrates just how timeless Wachau Riesling can be. From the Wachau’s sole Demeter-certified estate, whose Vinothek-Riesling 1995 was the first Austrian wine ever to receive 100 Parker points.