WTN: 1998 Niedermayr Lagrein aus Gries Blacedelle

[Brad Ballinger]

1998 Josef Niedermayr Lagrein aus Gries Blacedelle. There was quite a bit of sediment in the bottle, and the wine had to be decanted. The wine had a very complex nose of allspice, black fruits, an earthy funk, and tomato paste. The flavors closely mirrored the aromas – a nice amount of forward blackberry fruit with a balsamic vinegar flavor minus the acid, although the wine had a slightly astringent texture. The tannins were ripe, yet soft, providing a nice structure to the powerful fruit without getting in the way. The finish had nice length and brought back hints of tomato paste. This is a wine that is meant to be served with a dinner that unapologetically showcases meat. I had it with seared venison steaks in a pan sauce using some of the wine, and it was very complementary food and wine combination.