Kirchmayr, Riesling, 'Solist', 1992
Last autumn I drank my first Kirchmayr wine. It was a 16 year old Grüner Veltliner, and I was very impressed. Beautiful bottle design, marvellous bouquet and a wine that was focussed, sharp and sophisticated - yet not aged, not even old. It was pure joy. Kirchmayr have a whole range of wines - "Solist" - specifically made to age well and only to be released to market after years of maturing. So I had to get a bottle of Riesling to find out if it would be as good as the Grüner.
When I reviewed the Grüner, I took an excessive amount of photos of the bottle (same beautiful design for both varietals), so please take a look at that post, also for some background on the winery. But now to the Riesling.
The colour is a wonderfully clean, mature gold. Really pretty and complements the label nicely. Not only does the Solist look nice, it also has an enticing bouquet. A hint of green apple, honey, herbs, camomile tea and lots of pear blend in nicely with some quince, caramel and spice. There is also a creamy wax aroma that shows the age, but none of the strong petrol notes that you often find in old Riesling. I love them, but if you don't please try this wine.
On the tongue the Riesling is as well rounded and polished as it smells. An elegant wine that drinks very easy, with its soft, mature fruit and creamy wax and tobacco notes - all ending in a slightly bitter finish that leaves a soft tingle and notes of spice on the tongue.
While I was a little more wow-ed with the force and intensity of the Grüner, the Solist Riesling is a fantastic example of a well aged, dry Riesling that still has many years to go. Again, an impressive showing from Austria.