Gut Oggau 'Theodora Weiss' Burgenland 2022

We often say that a wine has a certain personality, but few go so far as to give wines names and human backstories. Stephanie and Eduard Tscheppe decided to do just that, after getting to know the wines from the vineyards and 17th-century winery they took over in 2007. At that point, the vines had been left to their own devices for 20 years; in restoring the property, Stephanie and Eduard began gently tending the abandoned vines biodynamically. They have crafted a family of wines from those vines, including grandparents (two single-vineyard cuvées from older vines), parents, and grandchildren. The family tree includes descriptions of the “people'' and their inevitably complex relationships. ‘Theodora’ is said to be the daughter of Joschuari and his wife Wiltrude, though Theodora’s uncle Emmeram still believes he may be her true father. In similarly mysterious fashion, the grapes here may be a mix of any or all of the white varieties grown on the property, though Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling are most likely. Hazy medium-light gold in the glass, it sports fleshy apples and lemon zest on a fresh and inviting nose. On the palate, it’s light-footed but rounded; high-toned flavors of fresh lemon, lemon balm, and underripe Bartlett pear make Theodora refreshing, clean, and sprightly. Organically grown, certified biodynamic, low-intervention/natural wine.