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The wine city of
Langenlois presides over Kamptal (roughly in the middle of
the enlargeable map at left). It has over 4,000 hectares of
vineyards. Enough to produce wine for even the thirstiest of
whiners out there. The Kamp river flows through the area, from
which its name is derived. Vineyards are on as much as a 10%
to 20% gradient slope. The soils are of loess, sand, clay and
loam. What makes the
Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from this area so amazing?
The terroir is perfect for these varieties. The
micro-climate and soils are perfect for these refreshing
wines... factors like the interplay between hot days and
cool nights. They confer lively aroma and vigorous acidity
to the wine. Grüner
Veltliner: Also known as "Gru-vee," this nectar of the
Austrian gods is your next best friend in white wine. The
higher-end examples of this wine have proven to be world class
in blind tastings against chardonnays. They are a wonderfully
pure wine with complexity, pleasing taste profile and a lot of
class. An interesting characteristic of many Gru-vees is the
charming creamy quality, reminiscent of chardonnays. Typical
tasting notes go like this: "full
fruity nose of yellow apples, pears, vanilla and butter. The
fruity flavors are joined with minerality and tropical fruit.
Excellent and satisfying finish for the most discriminating of
palates." Rieslings
from Kamptal are among the finest in the world. Winemakers in
the region are savvy to modern techniques, technology and
styles. They combine this knowledge with the best traditional
methods from their extensive winemaking history. Tasting notes
often include superlatives like:
"beautiful nose of peaches and white blossoms with delicate
flavors of herbs with sweet limes, gooseberries and mint with
noble mineral acidity."
A visit to this area should
include the Loisium wine center
and the multiple attractions in the surrounding area,
which include romantic castles, palate-caressing restaurants and
hideaway inns.
One of the leading Kamptal wineries
is Weingut Hiedler. They have gained an
International reputation for their leadership in vineyard
management and winemaking techniques. They have carefully
matched and planted wine varieties to the most suitable
vineyard soils of their estate. According to winemaker
Ludwig Hiedler, "The
soils give the wines power, substance and a distinctive
character." This careful matching of terroir and vine is
just the beginning of their wine magic.
Hiedler has also been a leader
in biodynamic natural farming practices. And their wines
have won awards and recognition in competitions & from the
wine press.
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