TN: 2017 Weingut Hirsch Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein

  • 2017 Weingut Hirsch Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (10/22/2020)
    I am going to start off by saying that it is incredibly sad that there are only 20 bottles of this wine in CellarTracker, especially since six of those are mine. Only 14 more bottles? This is high level Riesling. Dry, rich, mineral infused and very deep in flavor, it’s an exemplar of Austrian Riesling that goes for about $40! Hirsch isn’t the best known name, but that’s just better for those of us who want to get a top quality Riesling for a lower price. The mid-palate depth is worth the $40 on its own, and that ignores the lime/quince/grapefruit zest fruit and the mineral bath finish. Don’t sleep on this producer. You’re missing something special.

Posted from CellarTracker

I dipped into a little 2019 Austrian riesling with the Flatiron offer, didn’t get any Hirsch though. I’ll be on the lookout.

It’s weird. I go long stretches between bottles of Austrian wine, but every time I have one I am really happy with it. Not sure why I don’t drink more.

have loved Hirsch since the 1999 vintage but no recent notes.

Well worth revisiting.

Always a very reliable producer, in a drier, racier style for Austria. I should buy more, too.

Any thoughts on Hirsch’s style compared to other Heligenstein bottlings? I know Schloss Gobelsburg, Bründlmayer and Jurtschitsch, but have never had any Hirsch, regardless of vineyard.

I think it’s the same for all of us who are fans of Austrian wines (except for those who actually live there). I personally seemingly “forget” about them as there is no hype and I am not bombarded with IG posts (outside of something like Tschida and a few other hot names in the natural scene) of them which might inspire me to grab one. I also wonder if it’s a factor that there is not much thrill of the hunt with Austrian wines compared to some smaller production and higher demand French wines. Whatever it is, it’s undeniably stupid to not be drinking these great wines more often.

You are probably onto something regarding the lack of hype, or even any discussion at all. I also love Gruner Veltliner, especially with food, and almost never reach for it. Need to focus on these wines more in 2021.

I’ve said this before: the most impressive dry rieslings I have ever had have been Austrian not German. If we are talking about wines with any residual sweetness, then that is a different story. But in my mind at least, Austria rules the dry riesling roost (and for fairness I do not have experience with the top Alsace bottles, so I add that as a caveat).

Will you folks please stop talking :wink:

if you would like professional input about these estates –
most of whom are translation clients of mine –
(eg i wrote Hirsch’s EN website)
please send me a private message

no need to setttle for Buellshitt

I can endorse that statement. Love them both, but prefer the Austrians.

I’m totally with you on this. I like GV way more than indicated by the amount of it I drink. And there is no good reason for not consuming more of it.

Thanks for the heads up, look forward to trying some soon.