Ebner-Ebenauer
Chardonnay Black Edition – 2017
Region: Austria - Weinviertel
Ebner-Ebenauer
Deep in a four hundred year old cellar, a quiet, studious man weighs careful decisions to create exquisite wines from each of the special parcels in the Weinviertel. He asks his accomplished, exuberant wife to join him in crafting the perfect blends that reflect their passionate partnership.
Once upon a time…this is how fairy tales usually begin. But sometimes real life is a fairy tale, and that is the case for Marion and Manfred Ebner-Ebenauer. While the Ebner-Ebenauer label was born in 2007, when the two winemakers decided to share their lives, the history of winemaking in Manfred’s family stretches back fourteen generations. Today Ebner-Ebenauer is a mixture of old and new. The 400 year old cellar and modern style of the careful winery renovation. Traditional winemaking, gravity fed, gentle pressing. Using new methods when appropriate. “Respect the traditions but change if not useful.”
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
- Maxendorf vineyard in Poysdorf
- Soils: loess, loam and gravel
Harvest Notes
Here, all of their experience in the last fifteen years comes into play, and involve different modes of vinification, according to the character of the vintage. Quite often, various techniques are employed concurrently. From whole-cluster pressing to 48-hour aromatic extraction to fermentation on the skins without SO2 – everything is possible.
- All work done by hand
- Movement only by gravity
- Spontaneous fermentation in 500L casks
- Spends a long time on lees with occasional battonage
- Bottled in November
Winemaker's Notes
We have set ourselves the goal of making wines as an expression of our ideas; we exchange opinions on a wine before we press the grapes. First a vision, then pure artisanal handiwork: together this makes the Black Edition our prestige line. It allows us the necessary freedom for experimentation, and challenges us every day to take our favourite varieties to the limits.
The finely mineral and spicy aromas of this Chardonnay will marry with those of the delicate wood and yeast notes, to accentuate the wine’s refined nature and individuality.
Wine Summary
100% Chardonnay; Maxendorf vineyard; loess, loam and gravel soils; 13% alcohol; all hand harvested and vinified with gravity flow; spontaneous fermentation in 500L oak casks without temperature control; wine a long time on lees; bottled in November.
Technical Information
- 100% Chardonnay grapes
- Alcohol: 13%
- RS: 1.0 g/L
- TA: 6.3 g/L
Reviews
91 Points
Aromas of poached pears and white peaches with a fresh and crunchy palate that offers a smooth and gently buttery style. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com, December, 2019
94 Points
Stone and wet pebble notions are all that appear on the nose for now. More time in the glass reveals a hint of creaminess. The palate is slender and sinuous, guarding its fine-boned, chalky structure and gentle creaminess and allowing a glimpse of gorgeous stone fruit on the finish. A most elegant, grown-up and poised Chardonnay that is lovely now but will evolve much further. Real sophistication. Drink now–2035.
Wine Enthusiast, March, 2020
91+ Points
Vinified in French barriques for about a year, Ebner-Ebenauer’s 2017 Chardonnay Black Edition opens very differently in comparison to all the other wines produced in this leading Weinviertel domain. The nose is bright and pure yet intense on the elegant nose, with its sur lie, chalky and white blossom notes. Rich and intense but also structured and salty, this is an impressive Chardonnay that is still a bit untamed and loud but should develop very well over the next months and years. Tasted in January 2020. Drink 2020 – 2033
© Wine Advocate, March, 2020
General Info
| Country | Austria |
| Region | Niederösterreich |
| Appellation(s) | Weinviertel |
| Proprietors | Marion & Manfred Ebner-Ebenauer |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Winemaker | Manfred Ebner-Ebenauer |
| Annual Production | |
| Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Organic/biodynamic |