Christian Tschida Himmel Auf Erden II Maischevergoren 2022 - Magnum / 1.5L

Christian Tschida is one of the leading figures of Austria’s natural wine movement, based in Illmitz in Burgenland, where his family has farmed vines for generations. Today he works vineyards on both sides of Lake Neusiedl, including cooler hillside sites in the Leithagebirge on limestone, schist and gravel. Farming is organic with biodynamic methods, extensive cover crops and an unusually hands-off approach to the vines; straw and compost are used to protect soil moisture, and some steep parcels are worked by horse. Harvesting is entirely by hand, with fruit picked for flavor and freshness rather than maximum ripeness.

Himmel Auf Erden II Maischevergoren is Tschida’s skin-contact white, based on Scheurebe with several aromatic Muscat varieties from old vineyards around the Leithagebirge. “Maischevergoren” simply means fermented on the skins. The grapes are destemmed, foot crushed and macerated in separate lots, generally for two to four weeks, with some receiving longer skin contact. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts in large neutral barrels, followed by about a year of élevage in 500 to 1,500 liter seasoned oak. There is no racking during élevage, and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered without added sulfur.

The 2022 is intensely aromatic, with pomelo, blood orange and lemon peel alongside peach, exotic fruit, linden blossom, rose and subtle nutmeg. Despite the exuberant nose, the palate is dry and remarkably fresh, with juicy acidity, gentle skin-derived tannin and a fine, almost tea-like grip. The finish is floral, citrusy and mineral, with enough savory structure to keep the wine energetic rather than overtly fruity.