Wine of the week: a joyful and classy riesling

published 7 June 2011

2009 Loimer, Terrassen Riesling Reserve, Kamptal, Austria (£18.99, Waitrose).

Fred Loimer received his official biodynamic certification in 2009 after three years of converting from organic viticulture to another version of farming, which uses the moon's phases as a guide for when to plant and so on. I opened a grner veltliner from this very same vineyard for a large corporate event the other day, suggesting that it might woo intellectual palates away from indifferent sauvignon blancs not one person disagreed!

Loimer's racy whites are joyful and expressive. This bone dry riesling reeks of class and drama in the glass and his decision to commit to biodynamism has, to my mind, already been proven to be a wise move because this wine is sensational. Old vines from six different sites give this wine its complexity. Two of the blocks of fruit go into large, old wooden casks; the other four go into stainless steel. It is these two oaked elements which bring the texture and creaminess to the blend. Fred's magical touch means that, although oak is employed, you cannot smell it or taste it only sense the microscopic difference which it has made to the feel of the wine in the mouth. This is clever stuff indeed.