Huber Riesling Nussdorfer 2016

Chalk. It's good stuff. Back in the halcyon days before white boards, school kids relied on chalk to learn about isosceles triangles and other incredibly forgettable items of information. However, chalk is responsible for something else that is much more memorable.

Yes, the chalk hills of the Traisental in northern Austria give Markus Huber's Riesling vines a healthy work out as they plunge deeper in the soil in search of water. Along the way, they pick up characterful mineral qualities, which appear alongside the citrus and apricot notes in the final wine and chalk up another victory for this most learned of winemakers. 10/10.

33 year old Markus Huber is one of Austria’s rising winemakers, producing excellent dry whites, especially Gruner Veltliner and Riesling, from the Traisental in east Austria. Named as wunderkind in Decanter magazine, having being named best white wine producer at the London International Wine Trade Fair 2011, Markus says his aim is to reflect the soil and the unique character of every growing season in his wines, which are counted among the best whites in Austria every year.

As with many young men, Markus’s dream was to become a professional football player. But, luckily for the wine world, he decided to follow the family tradition of winemaking. Together with his close-knit team, he has achieved huge success and numerous awards on the international stage, including a top ranking in the Gault Millau with 16/20 points and three stars at the Falstaff awards.

The grapes for this wine come from the best vineyards in Traisental, from plots with very different soil types.

The grapes underwent six hours maceration and were pressed in a pneumatic press before being fermented at 18C, followed by three months in steel tanks.

A beautiful green colour, this Riesling has a delicately scented nose, with inviting peach fruit, a fine, playful structure and very good aging potential.