Wine Advocate declares Hannes Schuster Austria’s best-kept secret
It was only a matter of time before Hannes Schuster was outed as a superstar of Austrian wine. We were tipped off by Roland Velich of Moric, who knows talent when he sees it.
We began with the 2012s from Weingut Rosi Schuster, and the glimpses of brilliance were there. But in the last few years Hannes has taken strides in capturing the essence of his region of Burgenland and its indigenous red grapes while delivering a touch of magic.
And that’s what Stephan Reinhardt of Wine Advocate was salivating over following his recent visit. “Hannes is still the best kept secret of Austria,” wrote Reinhardt. “His 2017 Blaufränkisch and St Laurent are great Burgenland red wines and the finest he has produced in his career so far. Adorable!”
You’re always in for texture and savouriness when tasting Hannes’s wines. There’s also an intriguing dichotomy by their immediacy – the fruit is unadorned, transparent – and their subtle, slow draw and depth across the palate.
The jumping-off point for the wines of Rosi Schuster is extremely attractive, too – very expressive, enjoyable wines at a very fair price.
2017 Rosi Schuster Aus den Dörfern $43
A blend of 60% Grüner Veltliner and mixed plantings. Aged in big oak barrels and stainless steel. “This wine for me is a bit more precise than the previous vintages,” says Hannes. “2018 was warm with a super early start of the harvest but there’s enough freshness coming from the soils of limestone and gneiss.”
2018 Rosi Schuster Rotburger $40
So purple. Tastes purple too. A mudslide of slaty tannin, juicy dark fruit, mineral taste and feel, violets and a walk in the Black Forest cake. Inky and long. So different, and so very good to drink.
94 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
2017 Rosi Schuster Sankt Laurent $40
Austrian reds are invariably interesting, and quite different: no change here. Smells of smoked paprika, a suggestion of petting zoo, red and black cherries, boysenberry, iodine and violets too. Light bodied, a brisk sort of ‘mineral’ feel, but plenty of spicy flavour to grab onto, too. Light rasp of tannin, water-coloured, subtle finish, not so long, but kind of precise and satisfying all the same. Curious, but very good.
92 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
2017 Rosi Schuster Blaufränkisch $40
I love Austrian red wines. Such character and charisma. It seems a very good vintage of this wine. Spicy, black cherry and something along the lines of Black Forest cake, along with meaty complexity and maybe some liquorice. It’s fresh but rich, layered with smooth and silty tannin, suffused with ‘minerality’, and finishes savoury and spicy. Love it.
93 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front