You could hardly say that our tanks were full after the 2010 harvest. So you can imagine that I am very pleased that the 2011 quantities are back to normal levels. The 2011 season was generally very kind to my nerves. The Spring was very important, and it was highly fortunate that a spell of late frost in May kept well away from both Traisental and our vines. Therefore, we got through the first quarter of the season unscathed. Regular thunder storms during the Summer helped to regulate the dry weather conditions. All in all, it could be described as quite a varied Summer, which can be really positive for white wines, because the wine develop fine and delicate aromas. Well, what can I say about the Autumn..? The best word that comes to mind is “Golden”, and that is no understatement. Every day of the harvest was dry, without a single day of rain, and we were able to pick our grapes when they at their most optimal ripeness – a true joy!
The 2011 Wines
The wines from the 2011 vintage are also really great. They are lean, as you would naturally expect, yet the precision of fruit character and balanced acidity is perfect. When paired with the 2010 vintage, you can taste that they have more “meat on the bones”.
The “Erste-Lagen” wines “Alte Setzen” and “Berg” are phenomenal, with the depth and richness of perfectly ripe grapes that are in perfect harmony with the wine’s elegant structure, which is also attributed to the meagre limestone soils. These wines need time, and they shall remain on the fine lees until April 2012.
All in all, the 2011 vintage is really special and is perfect start to the new wine decade.