World Wine 2003 Schmelz Gruner Veltliner Loibner Garten

Wachau, Austria Schmelz Gruner Veltliner Loibner Garten is a beautiful expression of this native white varietal of Austria. Schmelz is a family-run winery in its fifth generation, a founding member of Vinea Wachau. European press already has this estate firmly entrenched in the top half-dozen growers in the entire Wachau, one of only six 3-star Falstaff producers in the region. Falstaff "Winery of the Year 2005." For those who may be relatively unfamiliar with the wines of Austria, here are some explanations: Schmelz is the winery; Gruner Veltliner is the grape; Loibner Garten is the vineyard; Wachau is the appellation--the most prestigious wine region in Austria, with steeply-sloped vineyards; Federspiel is the level of ripeness (equivalent to Spatlese in German wines); Trocken means dry (less than 0.5% RS); and Qualitaetswine means it is a "quality wine" with a ripeness designation from a recognized appellation. And let s not forget the vintage! The 2003 vintage is widely heralded as "vintage of the