F.X. Pichler Muskateller Smaragd Loibenberg 2015

An early harvest from the Loibenberg in 2015 left its mark, this is a lean, herbaceous Muskateller with pronounced green character on the nose: pennyroyal, cut grass, a sharp vegetal edge. In the mouth, sour oxalic notes cut through what is otherwise a full-bodied wine, an odd tension between weight and underripeness. A trace of apricot kernel and a prickle of dissolved CO2 keep things lively, and the herbal finish has a cooling, almost medicinal quality that is genuinely refreshing. The Pichlers have sourced Muskateller on contract since bringing the variety back in 2013, and the choice of fruit clearly matters, this bottling shows how much.