Deep gold color; Meyer lemon, lime, green apple, pear, apricot, beeswax, minerals, petroleum, jasmine on the nose and palate.
Dry; no tannins, excellent acidity. Medium body. Deep, fresh, clean. Classic, delicious riesling from famed Palt Ried Steinbühel vineyard in Austria in the Kremstal Valley. Some sweetness from the fruit, excellently balanced by the acidity. Fresh and graceful. Grapes are hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel with natural yeast. Aged on the lees in very large old barrels for minimum-to-no oak influence. 12.5% ABV
Malat’s vineyards are located on south side of the Danube. Erste Lage [German for “First Location”] is wine region first recorded in 1322. Steinbühel is Malat’s driest, highest vineyard. Riesling enjoys higher-altitude sites. It was the first vineyard to belong to Austrian Traditionsweingüter ÖTW [Austrian Traditional Wine Estates—an association of traditional wineries in Austria that focuses on vineyard classification and the promotion of high-quality wines]. The 1ÖTW designates the vineyard as the “Premier Cru” in the Austrian classification system. In short (and in English) this means Malat Palt Ried Steinbühel Riesling comes from Austria’s apex wine vineyards. BTW, Palt Ried means “Pale Reed).
The Malate Winery has produced exceptional wines since 1722. The ninth generation winemaker, Michael Malat, took over from his father, Gerald, in 2008. The website notes if you cannot find Michael in the vineyards, you may find him waterskiing on the Danube.
Malat Palt Ried Steinbühel Riesling 1ÖTW Lage, Kremstal, Austria 2018 is elegant and excellent, classic Austrian riesling. Just the right slight amount sweetness adroitly balanced with acidity—what superb riesling does that no other grape can quite match. Pure and purely delicious. Made by one of the most prestigious wineries in Austria. Riesling is extremely versatile—pair with shellfish and seafood; pork; chicken; spicy food; cured meats—charcuterie board; vegetarian fare. Cheese—brie, camembert, ricotta, emmental, comté, appenzeller, havarti, young cheddar, monterey jack, chevre. $30-40
