Hiller Zweigelt Blanc de Noir Rose Pulkau Austria 2021

The Jordan family has been making top-notch Austrian wines since 1858, and we discovered them some years ago (on a trip to Germany, naturally). What a score!! A family wine estate in Great Reipersdorf near Pulkau, these reds, whites, and rosés are some of the sexiest wines for the money on planet Earth! This zweigelt “Blanc de Noir” is the perfect spring sipper – all for only $17.95!

Just everything you could want in a table wine… delicious, easy to drink, perfect with food, zippy, bright, and fresh enough to keep you sipping all day long – all for a ridiculously affordable price!  Hailing from the lush, verdant Pulkau region of Austria (north of Vienna), this ancient wine-growing region has thrived in Austria for centuries. The vineyards are rooted in the foothills of the Manhartsberg, where two climates collide on two distinct ancient soil types that go back 555 million years. At this site, the warmer, drier climate of the Weinviertel meets the harsh cooler climate of the Waldviertel – resulting in warmer, sunny days and bitingly cool nights throughout the growing season, all taking place on soils that combine volcanic granite, quartzite, and marble with eroded sandstone and loam. All in all, one of the most unique sites in Austria for growing grapes, all leading to one of the most intriguing and complex rosés you’ll ever taste!

The pale pink wine explodes from the glass with scents of summer strawberries, Ruby Red grapefruits, and this chalky, slatey mineral edge. Flavors of more berries, with juicy nectarine, white cherries, and pomelo punctuate the palate, with a fresh, lively undercurrent of tarragon and sweetgrass. It rocks, and my glass was drained in no time at all! It perfectly balances a round, silky texture with incredibly zippy and bright acidity, making this a match for almost any food, and nearly every occasion imaginable. Simone and Hannes are two of the coolest Austrian winemakers/vintners you’ll ever meet – and today, Simone leads the charge as the 4th generation winemaker in the family, nurturing the young 5th generation already in the biz to secure the family’s success for the future. We look forward to getting a little bit of this every year, but this is a tiny, artisan production as it is, and this is among their smaller bottlings. All that is to say, get some, quick!