Travel

Johanneshof-Reinisch
fortltd.com, August 2006

In which winemaking spot of Europe is it possible to simultaneously produce serious Pinot Noir wines and rare ice wines?

In Burgundy and Mosel they will say that such place is non-existent as the two practices are mutually exclusive. The French and the Germans are partially right — it is difficult to put together Burgundy terroirs and Mosel Christmas frosts.

Yet I know of a winery where the nature works wonders. It is in Austria and is called Weingut Johanneshof Reinisch. To choose what is better — red dry Pinot Noir or sweet eiswein is a fruitless task. Johanneshof Pinot Noir Grande Reserve and Johanneshof Eiswein belong to the category of wines that create same admiration with the wine public.

How is it possible? The secret lies in the location of vineyards. Many millions of years ago the area around modern Vienna was covered by sea. Then it disappeared but left soils rich in limestone. Former seashores also became a fault line for thermal springs. Now this part of Austria is known as Thermenregion. Long geological processes lead to formation of unique soils which can be compared to the Burgundy terroirs in complexity. There are curious displays of geological maps in Johanneshof Reinisch which confirm complex composition of soils.

Alluvial soils, gravel and stones allow earth to warm up quickly, but to release the heat slowly, which is especially important for continental climate of the region. Soils with high limestone content are especially good for Burgundy varieties which can pick mineral nuances of the land. As Johannes Reinisch noted, Pinot Noir came to Thermenregion from Burgundy. Six hundred years ago it was brought by Burgundy monks — who but them knew terroirs and winemaking better?

In Johanneshof Reinisch wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Saint Laurent (Austrian variety which is similar in character to red Burgundy grape) are made with excellent interpretation of the land’s qualities. The estate has 32 hectares of vineyards. Best plots known as rieden have own names which also imply certain varieties — Lores (Chardonnay), Frauenfeld and Holzspur (Pinot Noir, Saint Laurent), Mitterfeld (Pinot Noir) and others. Vinification of these grapes follows Burgundy tradition. Chardonnay is fermented in barriques, Pinot Noir and Saint Laurent — in small wooden vats after which they are moved to barrels.

Top red wines marked on the labels as Grande Reserve, start opening their natural potential after 6 years and more. First I doubted this statement of Johannes Reinisch, but the winemaker was correct. During the tasting, Grande Reserve Pinot Noir 1999 slightly gave out its age only through the colour of the rim. Its soft character charmed with fruit and unstopping mineral sensation. Grande Reserve St Laurent 1999 was darker and more intense in colour, but aromas were more developed than for Pinot Noir. Certain austerity but at the same time lightness of perception, lined architecture and deep fruit evidenced that the wine will have a long and beautiful life.

What about eiswein? Continental climate with frosty winters gives the winemakers of Thermenregion an opportunity to produce rare ice wines. In Johanneshof Reinisch they are quite unique as the wines are made not only of white, but of red varieties.

Both are individual. They take no similarity to airy-light white Mosel examples, not to intensely aromatic red Canadian wines. Chardonnay and local Austrian Neuburger make the base of Johanneshof Reinisch white eisweins. Such combination gives rich wines — both in aromas and flavours. They are nicely rounded with a fine mineral note going through.

Production of red ice wines, as Johannes Reinisch admitted, was started through weather intervention. It happened on 27 October 1997. Suddenly came early frosts, the temperature dropped to minus ten degrees and Merlot grapes were frozen on the vines. The winemaker had two choices — either to wait when grapes thaw and produce dry wine or to attempt the vinification of red eiswein. He chose the latter. The experiment was successful, and since then — if the weather permits — Johanneshof Reinisch produces Roter Eiswein.

Strictly speaking, the wines are pink in colour, rather than red. Grape juice has very little time (about 6 hours) to contact the skins. This is enough for some tannins to be transferred into wine. They give the wine better structure. As Johannes Reinisch notes this is the reason why red eiswein can match chocolate deserts. Merlot gives the wine nice berry aromas, good body and structure and smooth taste. The latest successful vintage for eiswein was 2004. The grapes were harvested on 26 November at 4 o’clock in the morning at minus ten degrees. The wine was bottled next April.

Having concentrated all attention on Johanneshof Reinisch wines, I said little about the winery itself. About four generations of family business. About impressive winery that was built ten years ago. About the winery’s traditional restaurant which is open for guests four times a year. About Reinisch’ nickname as ‘Mondavi of Thermenregion’. About quality wines from Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Zweigelt and other varieties which are made here. About hard work and real talent of Johannes Reinisch. They all don’t come as a surprise. Good wines and good winery are things closely connected.