Judith Beck ‘Chardonnay’

Judith Beck ‘Chardonnay’ – a rich, mouth-watering exemplar of this varietal that brings one’s day into technicolour. Plush textural tones writhe over and swaddle the tongue, yet that clean, crisp focus remains stalwart. Yellow passionfruit and ripe peach tickle the nostrils as a rich articulation of fruit wafts seductively from the bottle. A nuanced yeasty note on the palette complements a finely balanced touch of honey and apricot yogurt. Emphatically, a brusque mineral structure cleanses the roof of one’s palette, leaving a hint of flint in reverberation. In any case, a stunningly poised take on the Chardonnay grape, one that never fails to delight and beguile.

Judith Beck’s winery is run as a family business. Since 1976 the area under vine increased from 5 to 15 ha. Most of the vineyards are situated at the Wagram of the Parndorfer Plate, the most important site of the region. And from 2007 Judith has produced wines in accordance with biodynamic principles. This is to say that she operates in a viticultural art of healing; taking advantage of nature’s remedial qualities, she aims to strengthen the plants’ natural resistance. They apply self-made cattle manure and cultivate grass between the rows- this encourages the formation of humus. Additionally, herbal teas and biodynamic field sprays are also utilised to further the physiological ripeness of the grapes. Ultimately, a balance between authentic individualism and healthy terroir is Beck’s mission, one that we feel she achieves with grace and humility.

Judith Beck ‘Chardonnay’ – the region surrounding Lake Neusidl has proven to be climatically suited to the cultivation of Burgundian varieties. Obviously, the grapes are manually harvested and matured on their lees for five months. A wonderfully precise and plump expression of Chardonnay.