Reinisch "Tattendorf" Pinot Noir '22

Established in 1923, Johanneshof Reinisch is a 40-hectare estate in the village of Tattendorf, in Thermenregion. Sometimes described as “the end of the Alps,” Thermenregion DAC is south and slightly west of Vienna. Today, the estate is run by the fourth generation of the family: the three Reinisch Brothers—Michael, Hannes, and Christian.
 
The holdings are split between two villages: Tattendorf, where the winery is located, is down in the valley, where soils are alluvial chalk with a loose soil structure, under a deep layer of humus and clay.  The village of Gumpoldskirchen is on the hillside, at a higher elevation. The soils are fossil-bearing limestone with less topsoil and lighter soil structure, and the village is slightly cooler and windier. With its lighter, limestone dominated soils, the vineyards here are planted to Pinot Noir, as well as Chardonnay, while the valley floor is home to Sankt Laurent and autochthonous varieties Zierfandler and Rotgipfler. (Cistercian monks brought Pinot Noir from Burgundy hundreds of years ago.) The brothers farm 15 hectares in Gumpoldskirchen and 25 in Tattendorf. They achieved organic certification in 2010 and are converting to biodynamics. More than 50% of the estate is red wine, an even split between Pinot Noir and Sankt Laurent, and it is a leader in red wine production in the region.
 
The Pinot Noir was harvested from multiple estate sites and was made using French wood, mostly 225- to 500-liter barrels from various coopers. The fermentation and élevage were carried out in large used Austrian oak casks from Stockinger and some older French casks as well, and with 30% whole cluster. The barrels are typically used for about five years before they are replaced, and the total amount of new wood is small.

A unique and delicious style of Pinot Noir, showing red fruit on the nose and palate, with hints of dried flowers, savory herbs and minerality. Enjoy this alongside a classic Austrian dish like Tafelspitz (boiled beef or veal with vegetables) or perhaps a mushroom-based Japanese curry.