Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner Rosenberg 2013

Rosenberg has always been the slow developer among Ott's single-vineyard trio, and this 2013 shows why patience pays off. The nose leans floral and exotic, rose petal, sweet pea, something faintly musky, but pivots quickly toward the savory: caramelized root vegetables, parsnip, a Gewurztraminer-like spice that feels almost borrowed from another grape. On the palate it's silky and generous, with a tart strawberry-rhubarb thread providing enough lift to keep the richness honest. Toasted grain, ginger and a shrimp-shell salinity carry through a long, unhurried finish. Of Ott's three single-vineyard bottlings, this showed the greatest gain between pre-bottling and one year post-bottling, a pattern consistent with its track record of slow, rewarding bottle development.