The Wines of Feiler-Artinger (Austria)

On the recommendation of a friend, my wife and I visited this winery on the afternoon we were drinving from Budapest to Vienna. The winery is located in the town of Rust (pronounced Roost). It is a vacation town on the West side of Lake Neusiedl (the famous Kracher estate is on the other side of the lake). The tasting room is open to the public Monday-Saturday 8am to 7pm. No appointment is needed. In the tasting room we met Inge Feiler (wife of the former winemaker/owner, Hans, and mother to the current winemaker, Kurt). She spoke very good English and couldn't have been friendlier.

The estate has been in the Feiler family for over 100 years. Prior to 1947, they sold off their grapes to the cooperative. In 1989, the vineyards owned by the Artinger family were brought into the estate by marriage. 27% of the estate vines are a native Austrian red grape, Blaufrankisch. Kurt has been the winemaker since 1994 after apprenticing at Chateau Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion.

The estate makes a wide range of wines and some of the wines are sold in the US. I was able to taste 16 wines ranging from the 2000-2004 vintages. The stars in the Feiler portfolio are their sweet wines; but, I thought the Reds were also very exciting.

Here are my notes (with the prices being charged at the estate):

• 2004 Feiler-Artinger Welschriesling trocken 87 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  This was a very pretty wine. Aromas of apricot blossoms. Very fresh with lively fruit notes and good acidity. Surprising for the price. 87 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2000 Feiler-Artinger Cuvée Gustav Trocken 86 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  Their top dry white. A blend of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Neuburger (an important white grape variety). This wine is aged in 100% new oak and is rather serious. Any fan of California Chards will flip over this wine. Unfortunately, I am no fan. This showed some heat and spice notes. A fuller nose than the 2001. Compare the price to Cal Chards and you will see what a deal this is. Other would like this better than me. Not my style. 86+ points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2001 Feiler-Artinger Cuvée Gustav Trocken 89 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  13.5% alcohol. Much more to my liking. No heat on the finish. Still a little too much toasted oak for me but it did not seem as heavy as the 2000. 89+ points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Feiler-Artinger Blaufränkisch Rosé trocken 84 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  Light bodied and refreshing. A dry wine. Pale rose color. 84-85 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2003 Feiler-Artinger Blaufränkisch Umriss 88 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  This was my first purchase. I brought it to drink in Austria but never got around to it so I brought it home. This is a single vineyard wine from the Umriss vineyard. 13.5% alcohol and aged in used barrique. Solid red color. Kirsch nose. Bitter red fruit on the midpalate with pepper notes. Long finish. 88 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2003 Feiler-Artinger Pinot Noir trocken 84 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  One of the few disappointing wines. Light colored and simple. Aged in used oak. Not much character but a pleasant wine. 84-85 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2003 Feiler-Artinger Zweigelt & More Trocken 90 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  Now we are getting into the serious reds. 88% Zweigelt and 12% Cab Sauvignon. Aged in new oak barriques. Full bodied with firm tannins. Notes of black cherry and red meat. Long ripe finish. 90-91 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2002 Feiler-Artinger Solitaire 92 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  My favorite red. 50% Blaufrankisch, 31% Cab Franc and 18% Zweigelt (although the blend changes every year). Aged in new barrique. Already showing exceptional balance. Chewy texture. A good core of dark fruit with well rounded tannins. Medium to full bodied. You can detect Kurt Feilers Bordeaux training in this wine. I bought this wine. 91-92 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2003 Feiler-Artinger Solitaire 90 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  If I was looking for potential, this is the wine. However, I loved the allure of the 2002 so I bought that wine and passed on this bottle. A powerful wine. 50% Blaufrankisch, 31% Cab Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 3% Zweigelt. Aged in new oak for 18 months. Extremely ripe. Some licorice on the nose. Rather harsh now and it needs time to come together. Very young with most of the fruit hidden. 89-92+ points

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2003 Feiler-Artinger Welschriesling Auslese 92 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  This wine floored me. I could not believe the quality for the price (this is a $25 wine from Germany). 12% alcohol. Aged in stainless steel. A killer tropical fruit and gardenia nose. Clean pure pear notes with some floral overtones. Nicely balanced. Needless to say I bought this. 92 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Feiler-Artinger Beerenauslese 90 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  A 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Weischriesling. An explosive nose that burst out of the glass. Medium bodied with exotic fruits and some spicy pear and peach notes. A little bit on the sweet side now or it would have scored higher. 90-91 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Feiler-Artinger Traminer Beerenauslese 88 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  Noticeably less sweet than the regular Beerenauslese. This is 100% Traminer. Tropical fruits and rose petals on the nose. Light bodied. Fruity. It needed a little more acidity. 88 points

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Feiler-Artinger Cabernet Sauvignon Beerenauslese 91 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  The 1st time I ever saw a Cab Sauvignon BA. This was also the 1st time Feiler has ever made this wine. 2004 was a little wet and they did not like the ripeness of the CS fruit so they left it on the vines to ripen further and botrytis developed so they decided to make a BA. Very intriguing. Rose colored. The wine was fermented on its skins. 13% alcohol. Despite a high sugar level (7.8g/l), the wine was only moderately sweet for a BA. Light texture and medium bodied. You could taste some tannins mixed among the sweet red fruit. I had to buy this. 91+ points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

This is the name the Trockenbeerenauslese wines are given in the Rust appellation.

• 2001 Feiler-Artinger Pinot Cuvée Ruster Ausbruch 93 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  A blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. This wine just flowed and flowed and flowed. What great balance this showed which is the hallmark of a great sweet wine. Notes of citrus, lemon, apricot and pear nectar. An absolutely stunning QPR as well. Of course I bought this. 93-94 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2002 Feiler-Artinger Ruster Ausbruch 94 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  Well this just steps it up a notch from the Pinot Cuvee. Now I am getting excited. Sweet but with piercing acidity. A viscous wine with notes of mango, kiwi and papaya. Long finish to cap off a great wine. 94-95 points.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2001 Feiler-Artinger Welschriesling Essenz Ruster Ausbruch 95 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland

  I'm not sure what the winemaking difference between this wine and the regular Ruster Ausbruchs is but there just seemed to be more of everything. More fruit, more sugar, more acidity. 100% Weischriesling. A thick wine. The nose smelled of new carpet and tropical fruits. Concentrated but not cloying. On the finish the wine seemed almost lacey. Beautiful. However, I will caution that this wine is very young and needs time to develop more fully. What a wine it will be though when it does blossom. 95+ points.

  Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No