The Malat 2007 Riesling Silberbuhel as in past vintages reflects its Wachau location (deep eroded mica-schist in Mautern) both in an enhanced sense of weight and richness (and higher, 13.5%, alcohol) but also in mineral complexity. Sage, lime zest and faintly bitter fruit pit tinge a matrix of ripe peach and nut oils, and considerable depth of stony and savory mineral and meat stock emerges beneath a silken, glycerin-rich surface. The bitter elements here are well-integrated into the wine’s long finish. The strength and personality of this wine put one in mind a bit of Marc Kreydenweiss’s Clos du Val d’Eleon Pinot Gris-Riesling blend. This should be worth watching and savoring for at least 5-6 years. Only the two lightest of Gerald and Michael Malat’s Gruner Veltliner were harvested in October, the rest in November. “We simply had to wait for things to dry out,” explains Gerald Malat, “and to me there is a clear difference between any of the wines harvested before and those harvested after the big rains. Those harvested long enough afterward are more multi-layered.” Among the most notable characteristics of this estate is the sheer number of grape varieties with which it often succeeds. But while Gruner Veltliner and Riesling here were notable in quality this year, intensely aromatic Muskateller and Sauvignon bottlings were too brusque and coarse to merit high recommendation. A sampling of Pinot Gris from barrel was promising but will need to be re-tasted for a proper appraisal. It is good to know that the wines of this estate may soon gain wider distribution in the U.S., but due to the recent change in importers, retail prices were not yet available for any of their 2007s.Importer: Winemonger, Los Angeles, CA; www.winemonger.com

Malat’s 2006 Riesling Silberbuhel reflects its Wachau (Mautern) location with a sense of fullness and weight not possessed by his Steinbuhl Riesling this year (even though analytically, the two are almost identical). Peach and fresh lime scent the nose, with their zest and fuzz impinging on a tactilely invigorating yet rich palate. The finish here is generously juicy yet incisively pungent.Like many growers along the Danube, Gerard Malat began harvesting already in mid-September to insure some light-weight wines appropriate to summer, 2008 consumption, and finished at the end of October. From three sites in the Hohlgraben,Importers: Morandell Imports, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (310) 328-5010 and Rosalie Sendelbach Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 260-1870.

Malat bottles three grades of Riesling – two from single sites – of which his 2004 Riesling Silberbuhel, from a mineral-rich site in Mautern that is nearly always able to hang late, represents the middle. This wine displays spiced, baked apple, honey and herbs in the nose (reminding one of the degree to which Gruner Veltliner and Riesling can resemble one another this vintage). The flavors are juicy and engaging on the palate, with apple-like fruit, subtle suggestions of salty and pungent minerality, and honeyed richness balanced by piquant nuttiness and refreshing acidity. The bracing, tingling mineral expressions that accompany the juicy fruit and honeyed notes of sur maturite in the finish here are hard to describe but fascinating and unmistakable. Various importers including Morandell Imports, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (310) 328-5010 and Rosalie Sendelbach Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 260-1870