Oggau Weiss is not a regular release. It does not appear every year and it does not fit neatly into the fictional family structure that defines the rest of the Gut Oggau range. It is born of necessity, and in this case that necessity produced something worth celebrating.

2016 was probably the most challenging vintage in the winery's young history. Spring frosts and hail in summer plagued the winemakers, leaving them with less than 40% of the harvest. Autumn was conciliatory and delivered top quality, but too little material to bottle the individual family members separately. Stephanie and Eduard had to let go and blend the remaining wines. When you use the word natural wine, you have to work with what nature gives you. 

The result is a blend of the four white family members, each contributing its character in full. Emmeram brings the aromatic Gewürztraminer lift, Mechthild the profound Grüner Veltliner depth, Timotheus the weight and texture of Grüner Veltliner and Weissburgunder, and Theodora the light-footed freshness of Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling. The grapes come from 35-year-old vines on limestone and slate soils, partially destemmed, fermented on skins for a few weeks, aged eleven months in small barrels, bottled without fining, filtration or added sulphur. 

The wine is pure and elegant, with a beautiful clarity and a seductive aroma. At nine years old it has settled into a complex, layered expression where the aromatic flamboyance of the Gewürztraminer, the mineral structure of the Mechthild component and the citrus tension of the Theodora all speak at once without crowding each other. This is a unique document of a difficult year handled with grace and conviction. A wine for anyone who wants to understand what the Gut Oggau estate tastes like when the whole family sits down together.