Clemens Krutzler-The bright future of Austrian Wine
The Krutzler family has been making wine in the Eisenberg D.A.C in Southern Burgenland, Austria for 40 years. Clemens is the 5th generation Winemaker who started with his first barrel just 3 years ago, at the age of 18. Just last year, Clemens was awarded Falstaff Magazine’s Best Young Winemaker of the Year and rightfully so. The 21-year-old draws inspiration for his wines from his time spent in Southern France while taking advantage of the iron rich and clay soils found in Eisenberg. The high schist soil allows traditional Austrian grapes like Blaufrankisch, Weissburgunder, Gruner Veltliner, Welschriesling and Riesling, to have great minerality. Clemens’ practice of early harvest picking also helps ensure the acidity is high in his wines. Kevin and I recently got to sit down with Clemens, and it was noteworthy how this 21-year-old was looking at the “big picture”.
He wants to pay homage to the generations before him and to Eisenberg by using grapes that are traditional to both but also wants to bring techniques of blending and co-fermenting we saw when in Southern France. He wants to make wines that are versatile, that can be enjoyed with multiple styles of food or enjoyed on their own. And he wants to be conscientious about how he treats the vines by practicing low-intervention methods in the vineyards and in the winemaking process. For the time being, Clemens is just using a partial of the vineyards on his family estate to make his own label while his parents, Melanie and Reinhold, make the wines under the Krutzler label. If Clemens’ first 3 years of Winemaking are a sign of what is to come, when Melanie and Reinhold are ready to hand the winery over, they know it’ll be in good hands. Now available in store are 4 wines from Clemens that show off the talents of the young Austrian Winemaker.
2023 Gemischter Satz
A blend of 50% Weissburgunder, 20% Welschriesling, 20% Gruner Veltliner and 10% Riesling, the grapes come from vines that are over 60 years old. The wine itself spent 10 months on the lees and was rested in bottle for 9 months before being released. Bright minerality leads to notes of quince and ripe apricots. Dried herbs and subtle basil flavors bring a savory component to the wine. Delicate green apple on the finish.
2024 Blaufrankisch Rose
Clemens made this to be a “year-round rose” and with the structure and depth this wine has, it can be enjoyed all year long, light but rich is the best way to describe this wine. Rich notes of blueberry and black cherry coat the palate and give it a little more body than your standard rose, but it never feels cloying. Subtle floral characteristics along with delicate tannins and light acidity give the wine depth not always seen from roses.
2024 Mash-Up
An even split of Blaufrankisch and Welschriesling that was cofermented, the grapes were only macerated overnight, resulting in the light coloring and was in barrel for 6 months. Very expressive and with lots of depth, candied strawberries and black cherries coat the palate. Hints of rosemary and fennel create a savory component that really adds depth your drinking experience. Delicate tea tannins dry the palate a bit and leave your tastebuds with a dark chocolate covered cherry characteristic.
2023 Blaufrankisch
The grapes for this wine were picked early, fermented for 5 months in stainless steel, aged for 8 months in used barrels and rested for 6 months in bottle before being released. A combination of stewed cherries and cherry preserve pair with light baking spices to create a European cherry pie flavor profile. Bright red fruit like cranberries and pomegranate bring a little tartness to the wine as if you were eating fresh fruit. Light tannins serve as a break between the rich fruit and tart fruit, creating a wonderful balance.