From loess and granite sites, the 2010 Gruner Veltliner Phelling was picked after having hung through the November frost that his sector of the Weinviertel shared with the Kamptal, and whose peculiar concentrating effects – clearly present in many wines of this vintage – fascinate Poller, who points out that, after all, certain orchard fruits are highly prized after they have been in similar fashion “frost-conditioned.” In a vintage already marked by wines of bright acidity and pronounced piquancy and in which one can often mistake a Gruner Veltliner for a Riesling, this goes to great lengths along just those lines, its lemon, lime, and fruit pit flavors allied to spice and herb pungency, but also backed by an impressive sense of extract sweetness and finishing with vibratory intensity and considerable richness of pit fruit flesh. This outstanding value should remain impressive for at least half a dozen years. Erwin Poller is as dedicated to his vines as any grower I have ever met, and he could chock viticulture and get rich quick by selling his proven technique for (as he puts it) “power sleeping.” The astute and dedicated assistance in recent vintages of young Florian Schuhmann (whose own venture with Poller’s assistance, Quantum Winery, is discussed separately in this report) has no doubt helped to further hone the already high quality of the Pollerhof’s wide and distinctively delicious range. (Incidentally, Poller’s $10-12 liter Gruner Veltliner typically offers one of the most incredible wine values in all Austria. But he and I met this year in the Wachau to save me travel time; and he neglected to bring along a sample of that particular 2010 to our session. The same goes for his Riesling Konigsberg.)Bill Mayer Age of Riesling Selections Imported by Valley View Wine Sales, Glen Ellen, CA; tel. (510) 549 2444; also a Monika Caha Selection, New York, NY; tel. (212) 877-3558 with various importers, including Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700
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