2019 Pittnauer St Laurent Vom Dorf

The fruit for Pittnauer St Laurent Vom Dorf comes from the iron-rich, broken stone-strewn Goldberg,  Salzbergacker, Zwickelacker and Jungäcker vineyard.
So here we have St. Laurent in top form from perhaps the best vintage of the last decade. It was warm but never too hot and, thanks to a rainy May, completely stress-free for the vines. The autumn was golden, the sky blue, and the grapes ripe and pristine. Nothing stood in the way of a smooth vinification.
Most of the vineyards in which our St. Laurent is rooted are located on the Parndorfer Platte. It is a relic of the original Danube, as manifested in soils comprising gravel and alluvial sand. A few dozen wind turbines also clearly point out what else characterises the Parndorfer Platte: somewhat cooler conditions and consequently longer vegetative periods, which is extremely noticeable in an early-ripening variety like St. Laurent.
In the cellar we did what had to be done. The fermentation started spontaneously as always, and the wine’s expansion took place in used 500-litre wooden barrels. It was not fined or filtered, and only minimally sulphured.
This wine is playful, elegant and yet emphatic. It has vigour and power. The nose shows deep, clear, cool, red-berry fruit. It’s mineral, powerful and vital on the palate. The tannins are very fine, the structure juicy and light-footed, yet noticeably compact. The wine has superb drinking flow and makes you want a second bottle. – Gerhard Pittnauer