Jutta Ambrositsch Wiener Gemischter Satz Kosmopolit 2020 & Jutta Ambrositsch Gemischter Satz Ringelspiel 2018
These two white field blends from Vienna captured my heart and I can't wait for you to try them this Thursday along with truly great Austrian red at an unbelievable price point.
There is a long tradition of residents going to the hillsides to have a glass of wine and snacks at a Heurigen or Buschenschank overlooking the city. Heurigen could roughly be translated as a wine bar. Buschenschank is similar, but they are only allowed to sell products that are made in-house, wine included. Jutta Ambrositsch started her own Buschenschank in 2006 after leaving behind an office job as a graphic designer although she still designs her own labels.
Vienna has the most vineyards planted of any city in the world and field blends are serious in the vineyards of Vienna's city limits.
The specialty of Vienna is a traditional wine called Gemischter Satz, historically, it was a field blend with many different varieties picked the same day and crushed together for vinification. It sounds simple enough, but the different varieties ripen at different rates and it’s quite a skill to decide the exact day when the ripeness and acidity will be a delicious balance amongst all the varieties.
These blends include too many varietals to name all of them but do include Grüner Veltliner, Sauv. Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay (to name a few that you may have heard of) and come from five different sites on both sides of the Danube.
How she does it : the grapes are picked on the same day by two teams of about 12 people each. In the evening, all of the grapes go into the press together and the next day after about 12 hours of maceration everything is pressed.
This one tastes like Nectarine, clean and fresh, white flowers. Sorry for the long description (adapted from the importer David Bowler's info.) but it's a cool story don't you think? And I freaking love these wines.
...Ringelspiel.... another Gemischter Satz (field blend) is from a single parcel of old vines planted in the 1950's and WOW does this one sing!
and finally....
Wachter-Wiesler Handgemenge Rotes 2017
An exciting young winemaker redefining Austrian reds. Christoph Wachter began working at his family winery in 2008 when he was just 20 years old, six years later he is in charge of vinification and was named the 2014 “Newcomer of the Year” by der Feinschmecker, the most important wine magazine in the German language.
This is a blend of Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. Fresh and expressive, elegant tannic structure, taste the green slate soils. elderberry, sour cherry, black pepper, and clove. No new oak, No over extraction. Great now and will age well. Organic, unfined, unfiltered.
Come Taste This Thursday September 2nd from 5:30 - 8 PM
Dépanneur Wines
292 Livingston St.
Brooklyn NY, 11217