Moric Hausmarke White “Supernatural” 2017
Type: White
Country: Austria
Region: Burgenland
Grape Variety: Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner, Riesling
Rating: 91 Robert Parker Points
Climate: Hot, continental Pannonian climate
Terroir: Vines grows on sandy-gravel soils or planted on sedimentary gravel rocks
Winemaking: The fermentation takes place in large wooden barrels by native yeasts, followed by 12-14 months on the fine lees in wooden barrels of 5-10 years of 500/600 litres
Color: Intense straw yellow with light copper reflections
Nose: On the nose with a ripe beginning of pear, melon and grape skin, but then there is immediately a cool depth and a chalky, rough touch, extremely engaging, a very slight reduction, becomes more and more stony and complex with aeration, some mint and coriander at the end
Palate: On the palate, similar to the nose, initially powerful with a soft melt and juicy pressure, subtle phenolic intensively fills the mouth, then a mineral acid structure slowly builds up, which remains with a chalky structure, animating and already with great harmony, stays on the tongue for a long time, fine saltiness in the late aftertaste
About the Winery:
Roland Velich is the passionate winemaker behind an Austrian red touted to rival Grand Cru Burgundy. While Austria is better known for its whites, Roland had a fascination with the unusual red grape, Blaufränkisch. So he left his family’s estate and set up Weingut Moric (pronounced Moritz) in the lesser-known Mittelburgenland, which is close to the Hungarian Border around an hour’s drive from Vienna. Such was his determination, he paid for the estate using money that he’d saved working in a casino as a croupier. Roland now seeks out high-yielding, old-vine vineyards, and vinifies the grapes as simply as possible, looking to bring out Blaufränkisch’s inherently pure, elegant character.
As a self-professed Burgundy fan, his reds echo the finesse of Grand Cru Pinot Noir, and, rather than try to over-extract fruit flavours like some of his predecessors, Roland’s wines have a cool climate quality more commonly found in fine Nebbiolo or Northern Rhône Syrah. His top wine is a blend of eight different vineyard sites and includes some of the oldest vines that surround the village of Lutzmannsburg. These are unique reds which brilliantly echo their terroir.
