1997 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Honivogl Smaragd

Again, honeysuckle aromas, along with peach, snap pea and peppermint. Glossy, polished mouth feel and enormous richness and sheer density. Subtle underlying mineral and pepper notes. Finishes with wonderful iris-like floral inhalation and a generous dollop of honey. This was brought in on November 12, the fruit lightly shrivelled from the effects of frost followed by continued wide daily temperature fluctuations. But then, as Hirtzberger points out, overripeness is almost the rule for veltliner from this site. So, one might add, is greatness, at least when the fruit is in his hands.