Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner Stein Erste Lage 2013

Lees-inflected and inviting on the nose — apple, tobacco leaf, hyacinth and a touch of acacia honey. Melon and apricot flesh come through on the mid-palate with genuine depth, undercut by bright acidity that keeps everything focused. White pepper and a saline edge drive the finish, with wet stone and a faint citrus tang lingering well past the last sip. This is Ott's sole Grüner from the neighboring Kamptal appellation, where gravel and gneiss beneath thick loess lends a distinct structural backbone. Ott calls it 'feminine richness' — and there's truth in that: generous yet composed. Give it another three years before pulling the cork.