Many observers consider the famed Schlossberg vineyard to be the best vineyard in Austria’s Wagram region. And Paul Direder (whose US label is Paul D) farms his small section of this vineyard organically, making one of its very top wines.
Indeed, the Austrian Falstaff just last week rated his 2024 vintage not only his best ever at 93 points, but the top Schlossberg of the vintage, saying:
Pale straw yellow, silver reflections. Ripe yellow tropical fruit, delicate hints of pineapple and papaya, some blossom honey, candied orange zest, inviting bouquet. Powerful, yellow apple fruit, a hint of nougat caramel, integrated acid structure, mineral on the finish, persistent, a full-bodied food wine.
This is the sort of serious, very high-quality single-vineyard Gruner Veltliner you seldom see under $30.
