2014 F.X. Pichler Gruner Veltliner Federspiel Loibner Klostersatz 750 ml

Austria’s best makes its WineAccess debut

We’re going to keep this one short today. It’s a red-letter day for us here at WineAccess. After more than a decade of effort, it is finally happening. It is our first chance to offer the wines from the greatest winery in Austria. Robert Parker himself called it “the Chateau Latour, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Zind-Humbrecht, Sandrone and Helen Turley of the Wachau.” Who is he talking about? None other but the one and only F.X. Pichler.

It’s not often that you can say without argument that a certain producer is the greatest of a given country. With F.X. Pichler, you can say that without much pushback. While Austria’s history is full of fantastic wineries, none is more synonymous with great Austrian wine than F.X. Pichler.

The estate’s road to greatness started in 1928 when Franz Pichler, Sr., risking ridicule from his neighbors, started to vigorously berry-select the high-yielding Grüner Veltliner vineyards. Long the cash crop of the local Wachau growers, Grüner grapes were sold by the ton, grown for volume rather than quality. Franz Pichler had the heart of an artist when cultivating his vineyards. His lower yields produced smaller grapes, that in turn gave tighter aromas and more intense flavors to his Grüner Veltliners. Even though there wasn’t much of a luxury wine market back in 1928, and Franz’s wines were sold for the same price as his neighbors, it didn’t matter. For Franz Pichler, it was quality above anything else. Nearly 100 years later, his grandson Lucas carries on the tradition.

The 2014 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Loibner Klostersatz was grown on one of the oldest sites of the Wachau wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Established by monks of Salzburg and Bavarian monasteries, the deep-soiled vineyard in the Loiben basin sits on washed-away terrace rock that mingles with brown earth and sand from the Danube River.

In 2014, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate called Lucas’s wines “one of the greatest collections of Grüner Veltliner in 2014.”

Shimmering crystal-clear and fresh on the nose, with aromas of white peach, apricot, and white pepper. The palate is medium-bodied, pure, elegant, and concentrated, with a firm, very mineral structure and a saltiness with the long, textured finish. Absolutely gorgeous. Drink today to 2025.

As we said, this is a day to remember for WineAccess — our first crack at a wine from one of the most legendary wine producers in the world. F.X. Pichler is peerless, “the Chateau Latour, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Zind-Humbrecht, Sandrone and Helen Turley of the Wachau,” according to Robert Parker. A small allocation — only 240 bottles! — for today and today only. Just $35.99, with free shipping included on 3. First come, first served.