Mouthwatering acidity, a dense core of flinty minerality, a sense of cut and nerve, and the tension created when it's met by tremendous concentration of fruit: all hallmark characteristics of cru Chablis. But to us, the wine that hits all of those high notes with the greatest clarity isn't from Burgundy at all, but instead 1000km due east in the cool Alpine hills of Styria, Austria.
There, you'll find Gottfried Lamprecht, his historic winery at the site of the 12th-century Vorau Abbey, and hillsides planted to an unbelievable number of traditional grape varieties that essentially trace the history of Austrian winemaking itself.
Gottfried is, on first impression, the kind of quiet, reserved personality you might expect to find in the Austrian countryside: paced, formal, and soft-spoken. Then you see his art adorning the cellar, like the explosion of color with “I am on fire” written in bold. Then you head out to the vineyard he's planted with a philosophy of “freestyle wine growing.” Then you taste his field blends of traditional Styrian varieties - some well established (Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc), some almost entirely forgotten (Weiße Orleans, Grünfränkisch) - and realize that they are indeed also on fire. He is exponentially more than his initial impression.
To Gottfried, its in those field blends that the true character of a vineyard is captured, expressive of a deep sense of place rather than being driven by a particular varietal. They're also some of the most stunning, complex, and dizzyingly delicious wines made anywhere in the world.
The Buchertberg Hill is Lamprecht's most prized site. Marked by weathered sandstone, silt, gravel, and “opok” (clay, marl) soils, these sloped vineyards are planted to over a 100 different grapes; they all find their way into his Buchertberg Weiss. It's driven by centuries of winemaking tradition and Gottfried's dogged commitment to championing the free-flowing Gemischter Satz tradition of Styria that has in recent years, fallen somewhat out of favor. Grapes like Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Pinot Grigio, and Furmint do the heavy lifting here, and as this wine is open and ages, the onion begins to peel: stony, sturdy, with notes of yellow apple, dried apricot, mixed citrus and an aromatic flourish through the finish (think chamomile and bergamot). Complex and layered, much like Gottfried himself.
