The Donauriesling was bred at the College for Viticulture and Oenology and Fruit Growing in Klosterneuburg, Austria. The variety contains genes from Vitis aestivalis, Vitis cinerea, Vitis rupestris and Vitis vinifera. Our example, Winzer Krems Sandgrube 13 Donauriesling 2022 ($20), hails from about 70 kilometers west of the Austrian capital of Vienna at Sandgrube 13, a cooperative of about seven hundred wine growers.
This example of Donauriesling shows the wine has the ability to mature and improve in bottle. The aromatics are somewhat Riesling-esque with a blend of orchard fruit components (apple, pear, peach), lime zest, subtle baking spice and a slight petrol note. The palate has a carry-over of fruit from the nose, a mouth-coating viscosity and a sturdy linear acid core.
Another example of a PIWI variety making great wine is the Muscaris grape. This variety was developed in Freiburg, Germany, at the State Institute of Viticulture by crossing Solaris and Muskateller (Muscat) grapes. Muscaris can be used in dry, dessert and sparkling wines and has an interesting attribute in that the berries remain green, even when fully ripe.
The Renner Thirsch Muscaris 2020 ($30) hails from the Neusiedlersee growing region of Austria and offers a particularly splendid version of a dry Muscaris. The aromas are a combination of pink grapefruit, dried tarragon, herbal tea, apricot skin and a lovely Gewürztraminer-like perfumed note. The palate has some notable tannin structure with flavors of herbal tea, citrus pith and a pleasant, slightly bitter finish. This wine challenges the norm, and it’s one that you really have to seek out and try.
The final unusual variety comes thanks to the work of Harold Olmo, a grape breeder working in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC-Davis in the 1940s. Symphony is a cross of two vinifera varieties, Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris, and although it does make some varietal wines, Symphony is mostly used to add aromatic complexity to blends.
Dining and Cooking