THE DISCOVER CLUB - July 2021
This month, we explore the wines of Heidi Schroeck, a renowned winemaker in eastern Austria, with her beautifully Nostalgic Naturelle.
HEIDI SCHROECK NOSTALGIE NATURELLE 2019 vol. 2
Winemaker: Heidi Schroeck & Sons
Region: Rust, Austria
Grape Varietal: 70% Pinot Blanc, 20% Pinot Gris
Viticulture: Loam and limestone vineyards, practicing organic
Method: 3 day skin ferment, neutral oak casks, minimal SO2 (15ppm total); bottled April 2020
Serving Suggestion: Serve at 44-48F
Age: Drink now through 2030
Nose: lemon zest, yellow apple, kiwi,
Tasting Notes: soft, juicy texture with frothy bubbles, lightly floral and yeasty, deliciously quaffable
ABOUT HEIDI SCHROECK
Heidi Schroeck is a powerful force of a woman filled with passion and conviction regarding her family’s historied winegrowing experience. For over 300 years, the Schroecks have been caretakers of the land, though it was her father that first focused on estate bottlings. However, she strives to rejuvenate the classic wines of the region, such as her Austruch, a dessert-style wine similar to neighboring Hungary’s tokaji, and her Nostalgie Naturelle, an homage to her great-grandfathers lightly sparkling wine. With this focused vision in mind, she has helped give a refreshing view of Rust wines and in 2003 was awarded the “Falstaff Vintner of the Year,” a celebration few women winemakers have attained. Today, her twin sons Johannes and George work side-by-side with her.
“Heidi has been walking on this path since 1983, which makes her a visionary and a pioneer in the contemporary Austria wine scene. In doing so she shaped the current image of the new wine maker – quality-conscious, international, looking forward. Excitement, patience, trusts, respect, skills and connectedness to the land, on which wine has been cultivated by her ancestors for 300 years – those are key elements for her success. She revived the Furmint – an old Hungarian grape variety – and specialties such as the Ruster Ausbruch, whose revival is of high importance to her, constitute her status in the demanding world of wine lovers. Robert Parker, publisher of Wine Advocate, rates her wines exceptionally high and Falstaff elected her wine maker of the year in 2003. Heidi Schröck shares a strong bond with her wines. Producer and product have a reciprocal relationship and give each other a distinct identity. The product is characterized not only by its quality, but also by its uniqueness. A good relationship with customers and engagement with those who value her wine are important factors of Heidi‘ work and attitude towards life. Careful work in the vineyard is of highest priority for the wine maker. It is not only the beginning of creation for her, but also an encounter with nature’s power and potential – as well as personal limits.”
WHY WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS WINE
Petillent Naturel is a style of wine that has been growing in popularity over the last 15 years (we have even make a couple ourselves), though its history predates that of champagne. Historically, it was an accidental refermentation in the bottle, once Louis Pasteur discovered the existence of yeast and its role in fermentation, the method was improved upon to create what we expect from classic sparkling wine today. However, this fun, lively wine has made a big return, first spearheaded by natural wine producers across Loire, Beaujolais, and other organic-focused havens. Heidi Schrock’s Nostalgie Naturelle is an homage to her great-grandfather’s sparkling recipe from the 1920s.
“The Loire Valley, a center for natural wine, was also home to many early pétillant naturel revivalists. It was hardly intended to be a movement. Rather, it was a delicious beverage for enjoyment with friends.
But what is delicious has a way of catching on. This informal, unpretentious sparkling wine, which can be made from an untold number of grapes in styles ranging from hazy, unfiltered and full of sediment to clean-as-a-whistle, has caught on all over the winemaking world.”