Medium copper-salmon color; white nougat, cherry, strawberry, redcurrant, red delicious apple, hazelnut, plum cake, touch of saline, puff pastry, yeast, rose petals, wildflowers on the nose and palate.
Brut (7.2 g/L RS); soft, cleansing acidity (5.6 g/L TA). Light body, supple mouthfeel. Fine, persistent mousse. Blend of 60% zweigelt, 30% pinot noir, 10% St. Laurent; 70% of the wine from 2020 vintage; 30% from reserve—70% of cuveé from 2019, remainder from vintages back to 2011. Hand harvested, whole cluster pressed. Maceration 36-48 hours, followed by spontaneous fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Malolactic conversion. Aged on full lees four months in tanks, racked, aged another four months on fine lees. Bottled 2021 and aged on lees 20-plus months; 3 g/L dosage. 12% ABV
Fred Loimer comes from traditional wine growing family in Austria. That did not stop him from breaking traditions. In addition to emphasizing wood on classic Austrian wine of grüner veltliner, he also planted chardonnay, which was quite exotic in Austria in the 1990s. Then, in 2000, he began new project. Website notes: “Fred Loimer had a minimalist black cube built on a 150-year-old, hand-dug loess cellar in Langenlois—thus adding new spice to the charming local Kellergassen, or cellar streets. A real pioneer of the much heralded wine architecture movement, which grew to include the world-famous Loisium that opened in Langenlois only three years later.”
Loimer began his operation’s conversion to biodynamic agriculture in 2006. He emphasized fermenting with natural yeasts. He also eschewed excessive technology. Website: “For decades, wines often had been smoothed over through excessive technology and robbed of their individuality. But to Fred Loimer, amused by the reactions, irony wasn’t lost on him. He gave his natural wines the label ‘mit Achtung!’—which means, ‘with respect!’. So—no one could say that he hadn’t been warned.”
Weingut Loimer Brut Rosé Reserve Niederösterreich, Austria NV is refreshing, fruity, pure, round; elegantly charming with intense aromatics. Zweigelt grape lends strawberry charm to this dependable, very well made sparkler made using traditional method. Extremely will priced for the quality. $37-46
Pairing—with its elegance and refinement, shines as an aperitif or sipped on its own; priced so it can work as a toasting wine at an larger upscale event. As sparkling always is a versatile food wine, can pair with grilled salmon, seared Ahi tuna, seafood pasta dishes, shellfish and shrimp, sushi and sashimi. Roasted, grilled chicken; roasted turkey and cold turkey preparations; duck breast. Root vegetables, mushrooms, eggplant; grilled vegetables in general. Cheese—soft cheeses, brie, camembert; goat cheese; fresh mozzarella. Desserts—strawberry shortcake, berry and lemon tarts; light pastries.
