1983 Kirchmayr Grüner Veltliner Solist Stangl

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  6/26/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (Gruner STANGLE KIRCHMAYR) Kirchmayr #2 Dear Friends, The response to the Kirchmayr Austrian offer from a few weeks ago was really crazy - I'm sorry we couldn't get more wine but they hardly release any (we were fortunate to get what we did). After much prodding, I've been able to wrangle a few bottles of their next release - two vintages of Gruner Veltliner from one of the more pristine sets of aged Gruner available. Older vintages of Veltliner are very hard to come by (much harder than Riesling) and they know what they have. They are held to the same Solist standards as their Riesling (the very highest designation) and in most vintages none is produced. Sourced from a handful of vines, both of the wines below proved to be something special right from the get-go. The 1995 was aged for 12 years at the winery and the 1983 for 25 years - all at prices that are less than current release wines of the same pedigree - an insane business model but one that makes this even more worthy of support. Please know that these are even more limited than the Solist Riesling. A note on pricing: even if you see retail listings for these, I seriously doubt they have them (especially if the prices are less than these - I know what they cost and there's hardly any margin at our prices) - only a few bottles were released of each and most were tucked away in Austria and Germany or doled out one-by-one to restaurants in London and New York: 1995 Kirchmayr Gruner Veltliner "Wunderburg" Solist (Wachau) From a great vintage for Gruner, this wine contains their best material from the Wachau - at the winery they believe this will age for another 10-20 years. It is amazing at present and drinking beautifully right now - I see no reason to wait. It is every bit as serious as their Riesling, has power, floral finesse and gorgeous minerality with a special floaty quality that is hard to describe. For the price of a current release Smaragd, you get this wine with 12 years of age and it's been cellared impeccably at the winery. 120 bottles released. 1983 Kirchmayr Gruner Veltliner "Stangl" Solist (Kamptal) This gets a "wow" and it's one of the rarest examples of Gruner form the early 1980s in Austria (1983 was, like Germany, a top vintage). From the Kamptal, this Solist bottling has stood the test of time and you have to remind yourself that this is Gruner Veltliner, not Riesling. The pungent green Gruner essence is there with abandon (some compare it to biting into arugula with a squeeze of quince) and this bone-dry wine is a treat to bring out on a special night. It has only just reached its crest of maturity and should last for many more years to come. Only Kirchmayr would hold their most expensive and finest dry example for 25 years (without any remuneration) and then release it for less than a bottle of current release FX Pichler. Only 11.5% alcohol makes this even more enticing. 60 bottles released. permitting). Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Austr5000 Austr5100