Harvested November 3, the Hirtzberger 2010 Weissburgunder Smaragd Steinporz smells pungently of toasted hazelnut, apple pit and corn shoots, and displays a correspondingly piquant, though in typically Pinot Blanc fashion, at once creamy and refreshingly juicy palate impression. Bittersweet herbal and floral notes add further complexity to a lingering, both soothing and stimulating finish. This latest in a long line of beauties should continue to reward its owners for at least the next dozen years. I learned only this year that the Hirtzbergers’ portion of Steinporz – a vineyard largely planted with Gruner Veltliner – had until 1989 been devoted to Blaufrankisch and Blauer Portugieser, as it was thought (no doubt rightly) the best site in Spitz to (try to) ripen black grapes, a few remnants of which are still sprinkled amidst the Pinot Blanc! Given the penchant at this address for late harvest; considerable skin contact; and must aeration, I was not surprised to learn from Franz Hirtzberger Junior that only their Riesling Federspiel had been at all de-acidified. “If there’d been even a bit more hanging out there though,” he notes “then we wouldn’t have made it” – i.e. acheived ripe grapes. “We learned our lesson from 1996,” as Hirtzberger Senior saw it, namely not to harvest – despite ongoing crop loss and fear of ignoble rot (though in this case that didn’t materialize) – until the acids finally began to diminish and the skins to properly ripen. Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700

Harvested the last days of October and with 14% alcohol, the Hirtzberger 2007 Weissburgunder Smaragd Steinporz is scented with apple blossom, lily, lychee, brown spices, and a whiff of wood smoke. Reach, creamy, yet with ample, juicy, apple-y primary fruit, this sumptuous Pinot Blanc behaves as though a bit of Gewurztraminer had been blended in. Subtle low-toned toasted nuts, roasted coffee, salt, and wet stone add to the soothing, lingering finish of a wine that will probably keep well for at least 6-8 years despite its irresistible generosity today. Most of Hirtzberger’s 2007 vintage Gruner Veltliner reflect their late dates of harvest and the presence of botrytis (a certain amount of which he always welcomes) in rich, low tones.Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700

Harvested mid-October and weighing in at 14.5% alcohol, Hirtzberger’s 2006 Weissburgunder Smaragd Steinporz benefits beautifully from the temperate weather that characterized so much of the 2006 growing season, preserving a core of refreshing fruit acidity, along with buddleia perfume, nut oils, and typical hazelnut. Clear and juicy yet with underlying richness, this finishes with a profusion of flowers and infusion of minerals, along with orange zest, white peach, coffee, and hazelnut – so pure, elegant, soothing, and wafting that you want to bathe in it! Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700

Hirtzberger has long ago revealed himself as a master when it comes to Pinot Blanc, and his 2005 Weissburgunder Smaragd Steinporz simply drives home that point. Harvested October 25, this offers exceptional clarity and brightness of fruit – apple, lemon, hazelnut, almond – along with positively shimmering mineral notes. A deep, marrowy, rich, billowing finish delivers flavors of plum, apple, toasted nuts, and ineffable essences that can only be classified as “mineral” and “animal.” Anyone who thinks Pinot Blanc incapable of the profundity of a great Burgundy – red or white – has not yet tasted this! Also recommended: 2005 Gruner Veltliner Steinfeder Donaugarten (not available; 85).Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700