19TH ANNUAL RESTAURANT POLL: A W&S EXCLUSIVE REPORT Oo} Wittes in America’s restaurants best of the year _ Pinot Noir Extreme MixologyAustria 87 wines recommended from ‘280 new releases tasted by blind pane! reviewed by Peter Liem. WHITE Griner Veltliner 93 | Felsner $29 2008 Kremstal Alte Reben Griiner Vo liner ‘The bold, loes-rich conceneiion of frei lin slck suspension by crystaline acidity, demonstrating remarkable clarity and fins on the place, Favors of lime, green apple and green mango are pure and feeumi, penning én vivid, Kinet nish San 6 Sons, New Hlaton, CT 93| Schloss Gobelsburg $24 2006 Kamptal Steinsetz Griiner Vetiner This combines dens, sappy eichness with sleely buoyant aroma, it avors of guava, tgapeliuc pch, cucumber and lime feeling energetic and finely derailed. T's under- Tied by stony, savory minerality thac adds dimension and complexity co the frit. Tory These Sletion/Mitad Shraib Wins Syces, NY 92 | Briindimayer $24 2008 Kamptal Kamptaler Terrassen Griiner Veltliner This is an outstanding vineage of Terisen, is crystalline favors feeling concentrated yet clearly defined. The tminemal components are seamlessly wound around the fuit aromas of guava, kl ime and grapefruie pith, end the finish is racy, elegant and taut, Terry Theise Suet Michal Shari Wins, Syst, NY 92| Gritsch Mauritiushof $00 2006 Wachau Smaragd Singerriedet Griiner Veltinr Dark and earthy, chs is ‘much more about soil than fr, i earthy, Spicy intensity dominacing che palate. The bold, fall-throctle richness is impeccably balanced by fim aciiny, fling natural and effortless despite its girth. Ie lingers on the finish with a baritone fageace and ote of exci pice winenona om, Lo Age, CA 92 | Hirsch $22 2006 Kamptal Heligonstein Gruner Velt- liner The sweeeapricoe and tangerine fut feels tightly knie and eigidly precie, ics rmouthfilling breadth backed by pleasant ines of leafy tobacco and sage. e's vivid and persistent, turning increasingly stony on the finish, Tomy Tihise Seoiom/ Michael Skaraik Wins, Syst, NY 92 | Knoll S45 2006 Wachau Smaragd Ried Kroutlos Gruner Vettiner Tie inense fie aromas of fed appli, Bertie pear, guava a0 freen papaya are marched by an equally intense note of smoky minerality, appear. ing almost finty in ies forcefulness. I's racy aad lithe on the palate, with nervy, Kinetic energy and a lovely expression of sel. Vin Dict, Chia 1 92 | Stift Goettweig $25 2006 Kremstal Goettweiger Berg Griiner Veltliner Savory notes of lentil, sweet pen and cobacco leaf play agsinse sweet aromas of green apple and guava, the taut acidity underneath binding everything cogether in seamless harmony. It feels complece and complex, finishing. with long, aromatic length, Vin Diino, Chis, I 91 | Jurtschitsch Sonnhof _ $s 2008 Kamptal Schenkenbich! Griner Vettiner Dirk, boli and spicy, this wine shows a volupeuous core of concentrated fruit on the front ofthe palate, yee the ao- sas quickly even earthy. By the finish, i's sich more about salty minealiey chan p= mary Fruit Powerful and focused, ic neds time in the cellar to develop its flavors. Wan-Bawr, Fron Prk 91 | Fred Loimer $30 2006 Kamptal Terrassen Grllner Vetting This takes some time to open up, eventually revealing cesp, elegant noces of lime, sweet ape and white pepper. I fels precise and balanced, dminated on che finish by subele, seony sninetaliy. Vi Divi, Chicago IL 91| Schmelz $37 2008 Wachau Smaragd Pichi Point Griner Veltiner Notes of soap pea and lal com bine with aromss of exotic citrus and plum skins, feeling tangy and brisk. For allies complex frit, i's anchored by minesaliy, hae stoniness defining and directing ehe Ma- vors with subrle grace and poise. Blve Danube Wine Ca, Lae Alte Hills CA 91 | Stadt Krems sas 2006 Kremstal Wachtberg Griiner Vel: Winer The favors of peat, guava and exces frat are farant and cp, yet the ine balance bere makes this sem elegant and even del- cate, The armas prise with sub incensiy. Vin Divina, Chie 1. 91| Stadt Krems $28 2006 Kremstal Weinzierlberg Griiner Veltliner Richer in body than ehe Wacht- berg, cis shows a similar sense of blancs, its bold, apricorlike feuit undezlined by slek acidity. A waxy texcure and pleasing hints of bieter almond complement the whole. Vir Div, Chiao 91 | Stadt Krems sie 2006 Kremstal Sandgrube Griiner Velt- liner Ceisp apple and pear aromas backed by smoky, leafy noces create savory complexity. “Tis red is sleek aod poised on the palate its silky rexnare adding vo its elegant fel. Viv Divi, Chie I 90 | Anton Bauer sie 2006 Donauland Rosenberg Griiner Velt Hiner Cool favors of lime, gus and whive peach are accented by nores of white pepper and srone,feling delicate and subele on the palate and persisting with elegane lenge Proce Wins, NY 90 | Forstreiter $21 2006 Kremstal Schiefer Gruner Vettiiner Nery, at nore of apple, guava and lime ace diiven by undedying grapetuilike acid ig. Tes harmonious and inviting, held in a fiem structural grip. Monica Cabs Scat Badri Wilden md Som, NY 90 | Geyerhof 17 2006 Kremstal Rosenstelg GrUner Velt- liner Lively noes of apple, lemen 2st and beeswa ace fesh and Buoyene, held Sel by insistent acidity that caries the Mavorsthrough che long finish, Blue Danae Wine Ca, Las Als Hill, CA 90 | Franz Hirtzberger $56 2006 Wachau Smaragd Rotes Tor Grier Voltiner Rich and cp, this shows velup- uous aromas of honeyed pear and sweet corm along with savory aotes of snap pe white pepper and vegetable broth, Ic has pleney of accity fo match the richness, and its complexity increases considerably with ait, Vin Din, Cac I 90 | Kirchmayr $00 1995 Wachau Wunderberg Solist Griner Voltiner This i fully mature, balancing noces of flo honey, ced peach and an dled apple against more secondary nows of leather and earth. K's balanced and inviting kepe buoyant by fish acy. Domaine Sls Won Bias NY see Chasey Tutus Tilo @ | LAURENZ V. | 90| Laurenz V. $25, 2006 Kamptal Charming Griiner Veltiiner Rich and earthy, chis shows broad notes of euava and preserved lemon, ighely wound ia finely decile structure. The rextare is silky and alluring, and the saline mineral notes become more incense che longer i sits in the hss. Fol Fine Wine Partners, Naa, CA $22 { 90 | Nigl 2006 Kremstal Kremsor Freihelt Grier \ Veltliner Apricor and pear notes are crisp and clean, with suave texture on the palaze and a phenolic bite on the finish. Irs lively and cense, the high-coned frie aromas per sisting with fine length. Terry Thee Sele (ioe St Wi Sst N'Y 90 | Rudi Pichler $73 2006 Wachau Smaragd Wisendorter Hochrain Gruner Veitiner The bod, ich flavors show mouthwatering concentration and cighely seraceured geip, yet this i more approachable now chan many other 2006s. Ie finishes with spicy earthiness and along, bavtone fragrance. Vie Dito, Cia, I 90|Domane Wachau $27 2006 Wachau Smaragd Terrasson Griner Veltiner Aromas of red apple, engecine peel and Meyer lemon ae clean and precise, showing a peasant hint of phenolic bier tess, like pear skins, on che finish. Te eakes, Some time inthe gas forall she components co-comme together, and shou improve with few years in the cli. Vin Dit, Chingy, I Aged Griiner Veltliner 88| Kirchmayr $60 1983 Wachau Solist Stang! Gitiner Vel- Hiner The smoky, waxy notes of roasted apple, dried peach, beeswax and chicken broth are reminiscent of aged chenin blane. I's fall and fragrant on the nose, bu less so on the palate, with a steely mature flavor on the finish that resembles chamomile sd ecasted pecan. Ie was bet ter when firse pouted than several hours later, so don'e decant ic. Domaine Selet Wine Esans, NY Pinot Blanc 90 | Josef Ehmoser sia 2006 Donauland Pinot Blane The juicy ech, grape and lemon zest aromas are Brighe and nervy, combining ripe depeh with crigy seracore. les vibrant and eftesh- ing, with superb balance, Magellan Wine Inprs,Centori, CO 90 | Rudi Pichler $56 2006 Wachau Smaragd Wosendorfer Kolmut Wetssburgunder This thrives on beautiful claricy and balance, its clean, crisp aromas of white peach and white Mowers feling delicice and pure. Ie packs aloe of richness for pinoc blane without losing is sense of elegance and grace. Vir Divi, Cia I Riesling 95 | Prager $68 2006 Wachau Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein Riesling This is che very pic- ‘are of finesse, its white peach and man- atin orange fruit feeling sleekly succulene and defined, bound by pute stoniness, Boch fruit and mineral flavors gain com- plexity and intensiey as they move back on the palate, shifting like a kaleidoscope in constant tension and crystalline elarity Vin Disino, Chica, IL 93 | Briindlmayer $20 2006 Kamptal Langenloiser Steinmassel Riesling Racy, cighely wound flavors of apple and green melon are lesy and brisk, finishing wieh a wash of salty minerality. Brondlmayer's Steinmassel is always taut and highly stuceured, bc the 2006 is even ‘more close than usta, developing in aroma 4 chy or ewo after being opened. Tory The Sues Michal Sharié Wins, Syst, NY 93| Hirsch $40 2006 Kamptal Gaisberg Riesling This is Slow to unwind, needing coe decanted for ies tpe pea emerge fall. The knifeike scidicy and min- erality elongate the favors and allow them to expand with subtle detail and eleganc lengeh. Ie nealy forceful now and should blossom beauifilly in the celle. Lory Thai Saeco! Skat Wines, Sy, NY papaya and occtarine noees 10 93 | Franz Hirtzbergor get 2006 Wachau Smaragd Hochrain Ries- ling Packing lt of richness and depth for wine from Spite, his shows fagna, lively notes of nectarine, honeydew, lime and almond. Is impeccable structure perfectly balances che bo, full-bodied gieeh, making chisel sleekly muscular sn taut. Viv Dic 1, Chia, 93 | Rudi Pichler $75, 2008 Wachau Smaragd Welssenkirchner Achileiten Riesling This is constricted and tightly closed in its youth, bue there are ry, floral melon and white peach aromas t0 counter the intense expression of stony min= eraliy. e's long and subrle, che mineral and fruic aromas both persisting in fine, eer! fragrance. Vin Divi, Chivas, I. 93 | Prager $64 2008 Wachau Smaragd Achleiten Ri Hing This isan intense wine, deciving ies power from mineral expression and con- cencration of flavor racher than overt wweighe, Te cakes several hours afer being opened for the midpalate's depeh and the elegant, expansive france on the finish to emerge. The mineral components ate s0 dlominane thae the ripe noces of Asian pear and cangerine seem almost incidental. Vir Diving, Chica IL 92| Felsner $23 2006 Kremstal Gobling Riesling This auiee, subele and elegane, aoe needing to speak loudly co reveal is lively, complex aromas. Freshly balanced acidity sets off che