Markus Sonntag
Sonntag Geschlossen 2003

Grape varieties: Grüner Veltliner

Alcohol: 11%

Region: Weinviertel, Niederösterreich

Winemaker: Markus Sonntag, Enrico Bachechi und Claire Yuan

Grüner Veltliner and Weinviertel is a long-established duo found all over the region, but the ‘Sonntag Geschlossen’ wines challenge any preconception one might have. In Waitzendorf, at less than 10km from the Czech border, Markus ages his Grüner in large old oak casks, most of which were bought from his grandfather and assembled in the deep underground cellar in town. Ageing takes place on the full lees, which are stirred from time to time, resulting in a wine with texture, complexity, yet freshness and agility.

Sonntag Geschlossen 2003 comes from one of Markus' first harvests, and it makes his primordial attempt for an orange wine. Whole bunches were fermented on the skins for 4 weeks, before going for ageing into a 800L cask. There the wine spent over 20 years, perhaps not something planned from the beginning, but we are lucky to have it bottled now. The wine shows great complexity with dried fruit aromas, gentle spices and fine tannins. All framed by unimaginable freshness for a wine of this age, just impossible to find anything like this. About 1000 bottles made.