95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

From a steep cru on gneiss and marble in the cooler Spitzer Graben area of the Wachau, the 2021 Ried Bruck Spitz Riesling Federspiel opens with a deep, pure and intense, very elegant and complex nose with ripe Riesling aromas intermingled with enormously stony notes. On the palate, this is a spectacular, complex and refined Riesling with great intensity and terroir expression. The term Federspiel downsizes this Riesling a bit, although it is an elegant, medium to full-bodied wine that has the complexity, finesse and intensity of a grand cru. Definitely a wine to have from this superb vintage. The aftertaste is spectacular in its mineral tension and salinity.

Winemaker Notes

The distinctive “Bruck-style” is smoky with a precise structure and complex rich stone fruit aromas and exotic. The palate is balanced and elegant tasting of peach, ripe apricot and delicious apple. The persistent minerality and racy acidity are well balanced by this wine’s full-body and lasting-finish. The name “Federspiel” dates back to medieval times and is derived from falconry. The falcon is symbolic for the elegance and liveliness of the Federspiel wines.

Served chilled, the Riesling is ideal as an aperitif and goes perfectly with Austrian fish cuisine such as Pike dumplings or a char tartare. It can also be more Mediterranean, for example with a Branzino in a salt crust with rosemary potatoes or prosciutto with melon. Ried Bruck is also a great tip for sushi and sashimi and goes well with “spicy prawns”.

About the Winery

Domäne Wachau is deeply rooted in the Wachau region and manages 30% of the entire Wachau vineyard area (400 hectares), including half of Austria’s most iconic vineyard, Achleiten. Domäne Wachau is the only winery in the Wachau with wines from all of the most prestigious sites in the region.
The winery is led by MW Roman Horvath, whose team works closely with growers, and has instituted a vineyard quality assurance program. This sustainable vineyard management program includes measures of quality cultivation and is customized according to specific vineyards and vintage.