MondoVino 2024 - The Best Wines

Wein & Co. is the quintessential wine shop in Austria, and it acts like one. MondoVino is their annual expo and the most interesting wine event in Austria (here is the report for the 2025 edition). Yes, even more so than VieVinum 2024 (and definitely more than Wine Affairs). Why? Because it’s not just a showcase of Austrian wines (though they are understandably well-represented); it also offers the chance to taste high-quality products from other countries.

The event spans two days and is reasonably priced: €50 per entry. I couldn’t resist attending both days, though I would have come away with great insights even from just one. There are plenty of exhibitors—170 according to the official site—and over 1,000 wines on display. There’s also a dedicated area—unfortunately but understandably—for natural wines, an “Ikone Bar” where you can taste truly unforgettable glasses for an additional fee, and zones for food and non-alcoholic beverages.

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The best wines, no boring scores

The fair takes place at Marx Halle, a spacious venue that hosts major events. The noise and crowds aren’t conducive to serene tastings, but this isn’t the place to write meticulous tasting notes. It’s about gathering inspiration. There are even some stag-party-style activities: some successful, like blind tastings, and others less so—like a platform where you move like a puppet while a 360° camera films you, presumably to gift you a video you’ll never watch again.

Here are some points that particularly impressed me about MondoVino 2024:

The love Austrian wine enthusiasts have for local wines is moving: there might be Castillo Ygay, Super Tuscans, and Roederer, but the most crowded section will always be the Wachau.
Italy is the weakest part of Wein & Co.’s catalog: mostly big names and overexposed regions. This isn’t where you’ll find hidden gems.
Spain has a very solid offering: though nothing blew me away (except for Castillo Ygay, generously displayed among the “common” wines).
German wines still feel a bit esoteric to me. I’ll get there eventually, but I’m in no rush.
New World wines are a mixed bag: you’ll find delightful options (like Tyrrell’s) and the occasional bad glass. This qualitative spectrum is undeniably intriguing.
Having the producers themselves (in some cases) present instead of commercial agents makes it all more memorable. It’s tough to communicate amidst the noise, but you meet some true heroes of viticulture.
Some sales agents prefer serving women first, regardless of who arrived at the table when. This raises questions about ulterior motives.
The fair is boisterous, but if you need to make a call, the non-alcoholic area offers the perfect quiet.
Wein & Co., please redesign the event website: the feature allowing users to write notes about wines doesn’t work and deletes saved text. It’s unacceptable.
When the first bachelorette party arrives, it’s already time to leave.

And now, a long rundown of the wines I tasted. What a luxury.

Alois Lageder

I expected great things from this producer. The wines are good but not unforgettable; perhaps I was expecting more.

Versalto Pinot Bianco 2022 Bread crust, white peach, white flowers. A classic Pinot Bianco but with an impressive density of fruit. Incredibly juicy white pulp on the palate and then a delicate, savory finish with acidity sparkling on the tongue.
Löwengang Chardonnay 2021 Wood, baked apples, dried lemon peel. So much vitality and concentration, it glides smoothly with excellently integrated wood and apple again on the palate. A savory finish.

Áster

Crianza 2020 Bell pepper but also plum. Then the fruit opens up on the palate. Deep with great vivacity, direction, and well-integrated tannins.

Barolet Pernot Père & Fils

Saint-Romain Blanc 2022 Bell pepper, attic. A consistent palate. Pleasant and balanced.

Biserno

Il Pino di Biserno 2022 Dense, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. Lots of fruit, expansive. Then it narrows slightly on the palate but is highly satisfying.
Bibbona 2021 Concentrated, fine, deep, violet petals, blackcurrant. Upon entry, it brings dominant tannins that establish themselves in the mouth, but the wine descends with great finesse, like a spicy soul and small red fruits that settle within the oversized structure.

Bodegas Valdemar

Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva 2015 Very fruity, certainly autumnal, but with red plums and fleshy fruit. On the palate, the coffee notes from the nose disappear, leaving a juicy fruit that nonetheless has volume and character.

Castello di Ama

Chianti Classico 2021 Cherry, plum. Plenty of fruit. Sandy tannins on the lips. Balanced, well-concentrated, soft yet driven. Really well made.
Chianti Classico Riserva 2008 More serious for sure—spices, meat, and it all holds together, but it still seems a bit constrained. Quite tannic.
Chianti Classico Vigneto Gran Selezione San Lorenzo 2020 The right balance between the two previous ones. Elegant and profound with red fruits, undergrowth, and bark, yet still agile, dense, juicy, and dynamic. Already ready.

Château Latour à Pomerol

Pomerol 2021 Classic. Blackcurrant, blueberries, blackberries, plums. Tannins that disintegrate, already well-formed. Beautiful acidity and direction, a silky but fresh body. Small red fruits on the palate finish crisp and satisfying.

Château Phélan Ségur

Saint-Estèphe 2021 Modern. Geraniums, red plums, redcurrants. Firm tannins around the mouth with excellent acidity and a body that steps back. Blackberries on the palate with a spicy finish. Big presence without excess.

Domaine de Chevalier

Pessac-Léognan Blanc (Grand Cru Classé de Graves) 2021 Maybe I don’t fully understand Pessac-Léognan, but the price seems excessive. Super elegant. Green plum, herbaceous, citrus notes. On the palate, it is refined but with explosive fruit. Acidity swells, and the finish is silky with lasting polyphenols. Eternal but not life-changing.

Domäne Wachau

I had high expectations, but I was surprised that the Federspiel wines were exceptional, while the Smaragd wines, though good or very good, impressed me less.

Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Kaiserberg 2023 Floral with white flowers, pepper, and delicate apple. Savory herbaceousness. A body with splendid fruit intensity and a very direct, classic journey. Polyphenolic.
Riesling Federspiel 1000-Eimer-Berg 2023 Unbelievable fruit concentration and juiciness for a Federspiel. Apricot, tropical fruit, petroleum. Very classic but with wonderful acidity as a pivot and an excellent polyphenolic finish.
MTX Müller Thurgau Extrem 2023 Overripe fruit, peach, persimmon, honeyed. Easygoing and lively in the middle with acidity nestled in the fruit as typical of the variety. Juicy and well-made with residual sugar showing at the finish.
Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kirnberg 2023 Oh, it grabbed me less. Low fruit intensity. Floral, spicy, and pleasant but not very compelling.
Riesling Smaragd Achleiten 2023 Mango, ripe apricot, papaya. Defined acidity as the pivot. On the palate, there’s intense mango again. Typical Achleiten. The finish of citrus peel and tropical fruit closes the sip richly, with lots of fruit intensity. Salty and polyphenolic, very noble.

Dog Point

Last year, the Chardonnay was among my favorite wines. The 2020 seemed slightly better, but this one is also excellent.

Chardonnay 2021 A classic great Chardonnay. Toasted wood, lemon, tangerine. The powerful freshness of these wines is wonderful. Well-defined acidity. Lots of wood but superbly integrated.
Pinot Noir 2021 Very lively fruit. Raspberries, earthy, plum. Sandy tannins at the center of the mouth. Intense, agile fruit. Raspberries appear again on the palate. It finishes a bit too green but then the raspberry returns to refresh. Very forward in style.

Ebner-Ebenauer

I had good expectations, but as always, when compared to Wachau or Kamptal, wines from Lower Austria tend to pale in comparison.

Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben 2023 You can feel the Alte Reben. Floral (elderflower) and spicy on the nose, with a good sinusoidal acidity. Green bark on the palate with a velvety body.
Grüner Veltliner ‘Black Edition’ 2022 More yellow apple than the previous one, a spicy finish with a hint of lime. Typical GV acidity. But I don’t understand why this exists when Wachau is there.
Black Edition Chardonnay 2022 A slight hint of butter, floral, but also orange peel and mountain breezes. Honeysuckle on the palate. Fresh, with well-defined acidity that lingers long, releasing very delicate citrus peel at the eternal finish.

Famille Perrin

Gigondas La Gille 2022 Licorice, sour cherry, undergrowth. A non-invasive body with a very pleasant alcoholic note. Blueberries burst on the palate, followed by licorice, which closes the sip austerely. Powerful tannins on the gums but well-integrated with excellent acidity. Intense and refined.

Foradori

I had high expectations for Foradori, but perhaps it’s a case of natural wine hype that left me mostly unimpressed.

Manzoni Bianco Fontanasanta 2023 Honey, rock, almost salty. Low acidity, sweetish. Ends as simply as it begins.
Lezèr 2023 Has its dignity. Small, ripe red fruits, blackberries on the palate. Simple and immediate but with crunchy fruit through the finish.
Foradori – Teroldego 2023 Very natural aka tastes like feet. Red currant. Coarse tannins on the sides of the mouth. Doesn’t evolve.
Granato 2021 Lavender, violet, ripe blackberries, green and natural. Clayey tannins under the mouth, not excessive body but good structure. Ends with notes of plum cake.

Franz Hirtzberger

Franz Hirtzberger has long been a passion of mine and was reaffirmed.

Axpoint – Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 As always, lots of intensity and balance. Herbs, white pepper, but also very ripe fruit—perhaps pear. Strong acidity and a very polyphenolic finish.
Honivogl – Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 No need to argue about it. Of course, it still needs to age, but there’s yellow-fleshed fruit, its own breeze, flintstone, concentrated yet with amazing fruit intensity and devastating acidity. The finish is of yellow-fleshed apple that lasts long. As always, exceptional and complex.
Setzberg – Riesling Smaragd 2023 Tight, flintstone, floral, yellow plum. Then on the palate, it’s taut, with acidity that will blossom and a still-young zesty dynamism. Long finish.
Ried Steinporz – Riesling Smaragd 2023 Even tighter. White flowers, citrus, yellow-fleshed fruit, smokiness. Again, strong and fruity acidity. An apple-forward finish. More introverted than the previous one.
Singerriedel – Riesling Smaragd 2023 Incredible. Ripe apple and pear, beeswax, chamomile, honey. The palate immediately shows its significance with the density of fruit and the seriousness provided by the beeswax that supports the fruit. Acidity that lasts forever after the sip. Endless polyphenols. In the grand finale, initially honeysuckle, then grapefruit and woody notes show how this wine, already excellent, will be unmissable in ten years. It’s already writing its future. Delicate yet full of power. I purchased it at the Ikone Bar, where it deserves to be.

Gérard Bertrand

I really appreciate Gérard Bertrand and have purchased from them in the past. For the Grand Vin Rouge, I loved the 2020, but the 2021 convinced me much less.

Castellum Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Garrigue, deep, warm spices, toasted hazelnuts. Dense but also vertical with brilliant acidity that guides the sip and then swells significantly in the mouth. Finish with dried citrus peels and a licorice note I didn’t enjoy. Very complete.
Grand Vin La Clape Blanc 2022 Garrigue but denser on the nose than the Castellum, not closed but liqueur-like, warm spices, toasted almonds, and yellow plum. On the palate, it has the elegance of Viognier, and the many profiles don’t clash but support each other without edges. Acidity emerges in the finish.
La Clape Grand Vin Rouge 2021 Kirsch, dried plums, dried figs. In fact, a bit too sweet. Soft, silky body with folded tannins on the sides of the mouth and a defined acidity. Not weak but too evolved, and the structure holds up less than expected.

Henri Bourgeois

Sancerre La Bourgeoise Blanc 2022 Classic Sancerre. I love it because it’s elegant, but it doesn’t sweep me away. Herbaceous, white flowers, ripe apple. Very dense on the palate and delicate. Finishes with a slightly too visible alcoholic note, but the polyphenolic and delicate white fruit tie it all up nicely. Balloon-like acidity.

Josef Jamek

Ried Achleiten Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 Almost black pepper, then ripe apple, aromatic herbs, honey. Incredible power. Devastating acidity that leads to a grand finish but, in the middle, the softness of yellow fruit—almost pear—gives a break when the acidity subsides. So many nuances.
Ried Klaus Riesling 2023 Geranium, perhaps citrus. Not much to say, and a bit weak on its feet.
Ried Klaus Riesling Smaragd 2023 Fascinating how petrol and tropical yellow fruit are beautifully integrated. Also honey notes. Acidity forms the backbone. Dusty pear on the palate with mature apple notes in the finish. Very complete, integrated, and without excess.

Juvé & Camps

I was almost ready to buy a bottle from them before tasting their wines at MondoVino, and luckily, I didn’t.

Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature Reserva de la Familia 2019 Apple, brioche, syrup. On the palate, too syrupy, but the perlage is dense, albeit slightly coarse and blurry, with plenty of flavor.
Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature Singular Xarel-lo 2019 A bit off-putting: attic, green wood. The palate matches the nose, but the perlage was missing.

Kracher

Content for Kracher…

La Rioja Alta

Viña Alberdi Reserva 2019 Cocoa, coffee, spices, meat. Powerful tannins. Rioja at its peak. Deep and very warm.
Viña Arana Gran Reserva 2016 Decadent, overripe plums, spices. Powerful, creamy, and its character dominates you.
Rioja Gran Reserva 904 2015 Autumn leaves, plums—even dried—spices. It’s a wine that, despite its decadence, leaves room for the palate to reach it. The sweet spicing opens up on the palate, showing pungent notes. The fruit is present, rich, and blends beautifully with the tertiary notes.

Louis Roederer

Brut Premier Champagne N.V. Quite muted. Citrus, tangerine, dried grapefruit peel, lemon. Coarse but firm perlage, powerful on the palate. Not long-lasting.
Rosé Brut Champagne (Vintage) 2017 Very delicate. Tangerine, rose petals, perhaps bread. Perfect foam. Not entirely dry and very drinkable.
Brut Champagne (Vintage) 2015 Wow—the chalk, lemon, citrus, but also fleshy peach. On the palate, the perlage is well-defined and fine, with juicy yellow fruit and a refined texture. Long, savory finish.

Marqués de Murrieta

Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Tinto 2012 Juniper berries, small black fruits, chocolate, redcurrant, shoe polish. Powdery tannins perfectly placed at the sides of the mouth. Ethereal body, yet propped up by the strength of ripe fruit and tannins. Blueberries on the palate. Vibrant, long, spicy finish supported by acidity. Deep nose, so much flavor, and fresh body. Wow.

Marques de Vargas

Reserva 2019 Very fruity—red plums, damson. Alcohol emerges in the finish. Taut and decisive. The influence of wood is strongly felt.
Gran Reserva Rioja 2016 Decadent, autumnal—rot, dry leaves, spices, and coffee. The finish becomes sweet, thanks to the influence of American oak.
Selección Privada 2016 Very much Rioja. Herbal liqueur, wood. Very dense, precise, not sprawling—like all Marques de Vargas wines, it takes very precise directions.

Matsu

El Viejo 2021 Impressive because it doesn’t overreach despite its ambitions. Raisins, plums. Dense and with good fruit concentration on the palate. Remains fresh, with the finish briefly recalling raisins and cinnamon cake.

Neumeister

It’s the top of Styria, and rightly so.

Moarfeitl Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Gooseberry, tomato leaf, matchstick, sea salt. On the palate, splendid fruit intensity. Like Picech. At least two levels—one more fruity and elegant, the other juicier. Reduced finish. A journey (through Styria).
Moarfeitl Morillon 2022 Again, quintessential Styria. Apple, wood, tangerine. White fruit on the palate, squared acidity, but again reduced notes fill the mouth without ever overwhelming. It’s an iris, difficult to decipher but no less exciting for that. Very long polyphenolic finish.

Nicolas Joly

Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2022 Perhaps natural wines make sense when they are sweet. Alcoholic candy, saffron, honey, toffee. Lovely acidity. Rustic and spicy on the palate. Residues are noticeable. Pure Chenin Blanc with its sense of chalk but sweet.

Orin Swift

Mannequin 2021 Similar to Dog Point, with wood, citrus, and even a subtler floral note. On the palate, it follows suit, but the excessive alcohol makes it demanding.
Abstract 2021 Licorice, small red and black fruits, seemingly powerful but aromatic; in reality, it’s bombastic. Perhaps the worst glass of the two days. Truly overwhelming for the drinker.
Machete 2020 Milk chocolate, tobacco, blackcurrant. Bombastic again, but at least the palate is as enveloping as the nose.
Papillon 2018 Red fruits, spices, blackberries, vanilla. Again, overly powerful, but the palate remains fairly taut, finishing rich with hints of herbs and ripe plums. An excellent Californian wine, on the other hand, is the Geyserville Zinfandel by Ridge Vineyards.

Paul Kerschbaum

Blaufränkisch Dürrau 2022 Bell pepper, spices, forest, autumnal aromas that draw you in, cranberries, redcurrants. Tannins squared almost throughout the mouth, defined and powerful, but leaving room for the pepper and fruit (redcurrant and cherry), wonderfully concentrated. Very direct. Excellent acidity and a spicy finish that lasts forever.
Cuvée Impresario 2021 Again, an autumnal aroma and the savoriness of wood but fruitier—kirsch and chestnuts. On the palate, it’s a friendly cuvée, very dense, opening up to the fruit. Closes with notes of dry leaves, seemingly designed for companionship.
Kirschrot 2020 Very fruity, with cherry. On the palate, it’s direct, expanding thanks to the wood aging without losing the fruit. Pleasant.
Cuvée Kerschbaum 2021 Tough, still young. Spices, wood, small red fruits. Very assertive, a cannon blast. The wood will integrate over time but needs patience. Will always need a table to accompany it. This producer, in some respects, reminded me of Das Konquest from K+K Kirnbauer.

Penfolds

Bin 311 Chardonnay 2020 Toasty wood, citrus, but very floral, airy, aromatic. Medium body. Powerful structure, very savory and polyphenolic (eternal finish) that plays contrasts with very elegant and ethereal aromas.
Bin 28 Shiraz 2021 Nothing remarkable. Perhaps purple fruits and the umami of a barbecue. Medium clay-like tannins on the palate. Leaves little behind except a faint fruity trace.
Bin 389 Cabernet – Shiraz 2021 Much more attractive than the previous one. Cassis, redcurrant, violet petals, chocolate cake. Tannins emerge in the finish after an agile and elegant, classic body. Savory finish that returns to bite.

Reichsrat von Buhl

Jesuitengarten GG 2022 Very oily (almost viscous) and muscular. Honey, hazelnuts, very dense and tropical fruit, yellow plum, and apricot. Acidity serves as the backbone.
Ungeheuer GG 2022 More vegetal than the previous one, tense and somewhat closed. Tomato leaf and white pepper.
Kirchenstück GG 2022 The middle ground between the two previous ones. Hazelnut, autumnal, botrytis.
Suez Vintage Brut Nature 2015 Pastry shop, custard, brioche, curry. Perfect perlage (immediately after opening the bottle). A dry champagne.

Rudi Pichler

Ried Achleithen Riesling Smaragd 2023 Hazelnut, ripe yellow fruit, very Austrian, petrol. Leaves a great impression in the mouth—scraping acidity and spiciness, will age beautifully.
Ried Hochrain Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 Very green, herbaceous, green apple, white pepper, asparagus. Perhaps a bit too unripe, but still long.
Ried Kollmütz Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 More approachable than the previous one—ripe yellow apple, flowers, quince. Broad. Controlled, versatile acidity.
Ried Hochrain Riesling Smaragd 2023 Petrol, white currant, very taut but not long. Barrel-aged, very Austrian. Hazelnut surprises and fascinates from start to finish.
Ried Kirchweg Riesling Smaragd 2023 A meal wine that does its job but has beautiful acidity that will help it endure. Honeysuckle, tropical fruit. Still hazelnut, but less baroque. Long and savory.
Terrassen Riesling Smaragd 2023 Exactly what you want from Terrassen: floral, apricot, yellow peach, tropical, fresh but with acidity giving it pushes of greatness. Slightly polyphenolic finish.

Swartberg Wingerde

Miracle Bush White 2022 Flint, oily, wet wool—seems full-bodied. On the palate, rather reduced and perhaps fruity (pear), but it leaves no lasting impression.
Miracle Bush Red 2021 On the nose, fresh and lively—like a fresh Châteauneuf. Blackberries. Then on the palate, licorice, but with great freshness that feels unripe both on the nose and palate. Small, dispersed tannins. Unmemorable.

Tement

Like Neumeister, this is the top of Styria, and rightly so.

Ried Sernau König Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Powerful on the nose. Tomato leaf, white pepper, very vegetal. Dense body but balanced. Spiciness and herbal savoriness on the palate, with a finish that takes you straight to Styria. High-pitched acidity.
Ried Zieregg Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Fruitier than the previous one but still spicy with herbaceous undertones and olive oil. A powerful palate. Polyphenols make the finish eternally spicy.
Zieregg Morillon 2021 Perfect—just not my preferred Chardonnay style. Apple, orange peel, wood but well-managed. Dense but perfectly balanced body (Tement’s hallmark!), with the fruit returning in the finish and great elegance and precision from the wood.

Tegernseerhof

Ried Schütt Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2023 Yellow apple, white pepper, herbs, sea breeze, yellow plum. Very attractive sinusoidal acidity and a spiciness so typical of Grüner Veltliner. Broad. Very long, polyphenolic apple-driven finish.

Thelema

Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Small red fruits, cocoa, mint, aromatic. On the palate, aromatic, polished, and smooth. Small tannins around the mouth with a cocoa or chocolate finish but decidedly fresh. Very well executed.

Tyrrell’s

The presence of Bruce Tyrrell (pictured below) was one of the highlights of MondoVino. Truly a gentleman with very pleasant manners, happy to talk about his wines, screw caps, and how exhausting it is to attend fairs. With his accent and the background noise, I fear we understood each other very little, but it was a great pleasure to meet him.

On the Sémillon, it was noticeable how even professionals came to taste it and left thrilled—so much work behind and in front of the booth and well-deserved recognition for a truly special wine. If you want to learn more about this fascinating grape variety, Sémillon: The Wine is a great place to start.

Vat 1 Sémillon 2017 No wood! Beeswax, talcum powder, oil. Acidity well-hidden but solid. Opens on the nose as you drink. Cold fermentation in steel. From there, the wine spends a year on lees but never meets wood before bottling. After six years, it begins to develop in the bottle. Herbaceous, waxy, talcum powder on the nose. At the same time, the palate is clean, fresh, and intense from start to finish.
Vat 47 Chardonnay 2022 Olive oil, herbaceous, introverted more out of nobility than shyness. Beautiful drinking experience because, like the Sémillon, it builds as you drink it, revealing nuances that captivate over time. Round and with an oily body.
Old Winery Shiraz 2022 Attractive nose. The defined, powerful fruit of Shiraz rises like a soufflé rather than pushing.
Lunatiq Heathcote Shiraz 2021 More serious than the previous one, with more nuances and refinement, plus chocolate notes. Yet it retains the lightness from the way it expands in the mouth.
Sémillon 2023 Herbaceous, soft with beeswax, lamp oil, slightly fruitier and more approachable than its older sibling. Acidity wrapped in fruit that emerges in the finish. Very enjoyable.
Chardonnay 2023 Challenging for a non-premium wine. Green, olive oil, apple peel, flintstone. Acidity pushes the wine. Green on the palate, less noisy than the nose, and a very taut finish despite a nice body.
Lunatiq Heathcote Shiraz 2021 Tasted again on the second day. Still, small red fruits, dried violets, plums. Dense, soft body, less balloon-like than I remembered. Soft tannins on the lower gums. Plummy palate and a finish that evolves significantly with forward but linear fruit. Splendid acidity and a freshness in the long finish you’ll love.

Villa Santo Stefano

Sereno di Colline Lucchesi Rosso 2021 Sour cherry, acetone, deep. Sandy, engaging tannins on the palate. Deep and with good length.
Loto Toscana 2021 Burnt earth, small red fruits. It aims high, and overall, it succeeds. Intense with a compact body.
Nina 2020 Very well-made. Vegetal, peppery, serious. Fresh on the palate, but the seriousness continues with engaging green tannins on the teeth. A slight opening to strawberry on the palate, but pepper dominates, and the astringent finish closes the sip with acidic and tannic vibrations that give lineage and elegance.

Weingut Dorli Muhr

Dorli Muhr is a well-known Austrian wine figure, but these tastings didn’t excite me at all.

Samt & Seide Blaufränkisch 2021 Bell pepper but fresh, rocky, floral. A fresh, medium-bodied Blaufränkisch served chilled. Opens to fruit, good tannins.
Ried Spitzerberg 2021 Bell pepper and small red fruits. Served ice-cold. Tannins are precise, but honestly, it’s too cold.

MondoVino Awards 2024

Best-Dressed Exhibitors: The Italians, especially the Tuscans
Most Convincing Geographic Area: Wachau
Most Disappointing Producer: Orin Swift
Most Convincing Producer: Franz Hirtzberger (unsurprisingly)
Most Surprising Line: The Federspiel wines from Domäne Wachau
Most Surprising Wine: Blaufränkisch Dürrau 2022 by Paul Kerschbaum
Best Sparkling Wine: Brut Champagne (Vintage) 2015 by Louis Roederer
Producer From Whom I Expected More: Foradori
Best Natural Wine: Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2022 by Nicolas Joly
Classic That Convinced Me: Bin 311 Chardonnay 2020 by Penfolds
Exhibitor of the Year: Bruce Tyrrell
Best Wine Overall: Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Tinto 2012 by Marqués de Murrieta
Second-Best Wine Overall: Vat 1 Sémillon 2017 by Tyrrell’s
Third-Best Wines Overall: Brut Champagne (Vintage) 2015 by Louis Roederer, Vat 47 Chardonnay 2022 by Tyrrell’s, Singerriedel – Riesling Smaragd 2023 by Franz Hirtzberger

Next year I will definitely taste Knoll’s wines.