Claus Preisinger Kalkundkiesel White 2024

Preisinger is one of the most respected figures in natural wine in Austria. This white blend is made from 60% Pinot Blanc and 30% Grüner Veltliner, plus small portions of other local varieties. The grapes are grownbiodynamically on limestone (kalk) and gravel (kiesel) in vineyards around lake Neusiedl in Burgenland.

A few days' skin contact before spontaneous fermentation gives the wine a golden amber colour and a lick of tannin. It ages on its lees for 8 months in large old wooden barrels and concrete eggs and is bottled unfiltered without added sulphur. There is pear, yellow apple, citrus and fresh herbs, with the brief skin contact bringing texture and a gentle phenolic grip. The palate remains fresh and energetic, finishing saline and stony with the acidity and structure.