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Blind Tasting yields excellent Results for Austria
(AWMB, November 2002) - Austrian wines have once more
successfully defended their top ranking among the world’s greatest.
A comparative blind tasting on 30 October 2002, organized by the fine
wine dealer and collector Jan-Erik Paulson, and hosted by Jancis Robinson
MW and Tim Atkin MW, highlighted the astounding potential of Austria’s
Chardonnays and of its “secret weapon”, the Grüner Veltliner
grape, a varietal with immense profundity and expressiveness. Austrian
Chardonnays and Grüner Veltliners were compared to some of the world’s
most prestigious Chardonnays from Burgundy, California, and Australia.
Grüner Veltliner has been recognized to be a white
grape capable of producing wines with a richness, profundity, complexity
and ageing potential equalled only by great Riesling and Chardonnay. “It
seemed a logical choice to compare the greatest Grüner Veltliners
and the greatest Chardonnays,” says Jan-Erik Paulson, “especially
as the two can often have very similar aromas. Both are good food wines,
and both reflect their terroir, though Grüner Veltliner often shows
more fruit and freshness than Chardonnay.”
The tasting, which was attended by wine journalists, importers, and sommeliers
from leading London restaurants, comprised six flights of prestigious
Grüner Veltliner and Chardonnay, classed into three vintage categories.
The results were astounding.
Seven of the first ten places were occupied by Austrian wines, with Knoll,
Bründlmayer (2x), Velich, Prager, Loimer, and Freie Weingärtner
Wachau, beating an international field including famous names like Louis
Latour (Burgundy), Gaja (Italy), Mondavi (California), and Baron Thénard
(Burgundy). The highest-rated Chardonnay of the tasting, on place three,
was the Chardonnay Tiglat 1997 by Velich (Burgenland, Austria).
The first place was awarded to a 1990 Grüner Veltliner "Vinothekfüllung"
Smaragd, Knoll (Wachau, Austria) with an average rating of 18.09 points,
followed by a 1997 Grüner Veltliner "Ried Lamm", Bründlmayer
(Kamptal, Austria) with 17.78 points. The first non-Austrian wine in the
rating was a 1998 Byron Chardonnay, Nielson Vineyards, Mondavi (California)
at place five. Astonishingly, all three categories of wines tasted were
won by Austrian wines.
| Overall Result Flight
1-6 |
| 1 |
1990 Grüner Veltliner "Vinothekfüllung"
Smaragd, Knoll, Austria |
18,09 |
| 2 |
1997 Grüner Veltliner "Ried Lamm",
Bründlmayer, Austria |
17,78 |
| 3 |
1997 Chardonnay Tiglat, Velich, Austria |
17,67 |
| 4 |
1990 Grüner Veltliner Steinriegl Smaragd,
Prager, Austria |
17,66 |
| 5 |
1998 Byron Chardonnay, Nielson Vineyards,
Mondavi, California |
17,63 |
| 6 |
2000 Grüner Veltliner Exceptionell,
Freie Weingärtner Wachau, Austria |
17,54 |
| 7 |
1999 Grüner Veltliner Spiegel Alte
Reben, Loimer, Austria |
17,51 |
| 8 |
1996 Kistler, Dutton Ranch, California |
17,51 |
| 9 |
1999 Chardonnay 100% Barrique, Mulderbosch,
South Africa |
17,48 |
| 10 |
1990 Chardonnay, Bründlmayer, Austria |
17,33 |
| 11 |
1997 Yattarna, Penfold, Australia |
17,15 |
| 12 |
2000 Grüner Veltliner Lamm, Schloss
Gobelsburg, Austria |
17,06 |
| 13 |
1999 Chardonnay Rey, Gaja, Italy |
17,03 |
| 14 |
1997 Morillon "Zieregg", Manfred
Tement, Austria |
16,87 |
| 15 |
1995 Grüner Veltliner Kellerberg, F.X.
Pichler, Austria |
16,84 |
| 16 |
1999 Grüner Veltliner Wösendorfer
Hochrain Smaragd, Rudi Pichler, Austria |
16,82 |
| 17 |
2000 Chardonnay Grand Select, Wieninger,
Austria |
16,74 |
| 18 |
1990 Corton Charlemagne, Louis Latour |
16,72 |
| 19 |
2000 Chardonnay Kumeu River, New Zeeland |
16,69 |
| 20 |
1997 Chardonnay, Hamilton Russel, South
Africa |
16,67 |
| 21 |
1999 Chardonnay, Gantenbein, Switzerland |
16,55 |
| 22 |
1999 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, Australia |
16,51 |
| 23 |
1999 Kongsgaard Napa Valley Chardonnay,
California |
16,48 |
| 24 |
1997 Montrachet, Domaine Baron Thénard,
Burgundy |
16,48 |
| 25 |
2000 Morillon (Chardonnay) Ratscher Nussberg,
Alois Gross, Austria |
16,34 |
| 26 |
2000 "Weiss" (Chardonnay/Grüner
Veltliner), Schwarz, Austria |
16,25 |
| 27 |
1995 Grüner Veltliner Steinertal, Alzinger,
Austria |
16,25 |
| 28 |
1999 Grüner Veltliner Rosenberg Reserve,
Bernhard Ott, Austria |
16,24 |
| 29 |
1990 Les Clos Chablis, Dauvissat |
16,21 |
| 30 |
1999 Grüner Veltliner Piri Privat,
Nigl, Austria |
16,13 |
| 31 |
1999 Meursault "Charmes", Louis
Jadot, Burgundy |
15,59 |
| 32 |
2000 Puligny Montrachet "Clavoillons",
Domaine Leflaive |
15,32 |
| 33 |
1999 Chardonnay Tiers, Petaluma; Australia
|
14,87 |
| 34 |
1996 Chevalier Montrachet, Etienne Sauzet,
Burgundy |
14,87 |
| 35 |
1992 Chassagne-Montrachet "La Boudriotte",
Ramonet |
14,84 |
| |
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|
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1995 Grüner Veltliner "Honivogl"
Smaragd Magnum, Hirtzberger, Austria |
Cork! |
| |
results
in detail |
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Tasting Panel
Tim Atkin, Harpers
John Avery, Averys of Bristol
Bill Baker, Reid Wines and Conran restaurants
Stephen Browett, Farr Vintners
Richard Ehrlich, Independent on Sunday
Brett Fleming, BRL Hardy
Matthew Jukes, Daily Mail and Bibendum restaurant
Martin Lam, Ransome´s Dock restaurant
Jason McAuliffe, Sommelier, Chez Bruze
Steve Pannell, BRL Hardy
Jan-Erik Paulson, Paulson Rare Wine
Jancis Robinson, Journalist, Financial Times
Gordon Roddick, The Body Shop and vigneron
Anthony Rose, The Independent
Hugo Rose, Lay & Wheeler
Steven Spurrier, Decanter
Charles Taylor, Charles Taylor Wines
Simon Woods, free lance
For further information please contact:
Austrian Wine Marketing Board
Susanne Staggl, Michael Thurner
T +43/1/5039267 F +43/1/5039268
s.staggl@winesfromaustria.com
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