Weingut Gernot Heinrich Salzberg 2017, 0,75 L

What else can you write about this cult wine? No other red wine has shaped the Austrian wine scene to the same extent. The blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Blaufränkisch is a sought-after rarity and has been one of the best red wines in the country since 1999. It's usually sold out long before the wine goes on sale. The 2000 vintage was awarded 98 points by Falstaff, making it the most highly-rated red wine in Austria. With 98 Falstaff points, the 2017 vintage is in no way inferior, achieving the highest rating for a red wine blend!

It bears the name of one of the oldest and best slopes in Gols. The vineyards sloping southwest are characterised by ice-age, red terrace gravel. Aged for 30 months in new 500L wooden barrels. Meatier than many a steak, darker than plum jam. All around intense aromas, with appropriate and appealing complexity. Rosemary accompanies it and subtle vanilla complements. Wild berries, undergrowth and earthy aromas send you into the forest for sensory pleasure. Its muscles flex elegantly on the palate and show that strength isn't everything. Close-knit tannins give it shape and texture. It has an intense acidic structure and notes of cherry and chocolate to expand the aroma.

A still young wine that should be decanted and has a maturation potential of a few decades.