Kemetner, “Ried Karl” Grüner Veltliner

Why is my passion for wine unrelenting? Because Kemetner, a 379-year-old estate that I only just discovered, has secretly unveiled a tiny trove of never-before-seen 1992 Grüner Veltliner. I’ve had decades-old gems from all-time Hall of Famers Pichler, Nikolaihof, Prager, Knoll, Brundlmayer—you name it—but there’s something especially exciting about a perfectly preserved treasure from a Kamptal estate that only few have seen, let alone tasted. Think about that for a moment: an 11th-generation, family-run winery that’s largely avoided the public eye for centuries, and here they are today revealing an exquisite, remarkably vivid Grüner Veltliner that is looking Father Time square in the eyes. Coming from the ried (single vineyard) “Karl”—a site known for producing ethereal, long-lived wines—this nearly 30-year-old gem transformed right in front of my eyes after the cork was pulled. Within minutes, the legendary properties of mature Grüner were on full display: texturally piquant fruits, e