Light red with piquant cherry and blueberry fruit, and notable, pleasing tannins. vintage in the blend.  Aromas of vibrant tart cherry and fresh blueberry.

Like all of Hoch’s still wines, the Rot (red) is a blend of three vintages, supporting Hoch’s vision that the best expression of terroir comes from the blend rather than a dominant vintage. Young wines add fruit and older wines bring tannins and structure. The Rot is a blend of 80% Zweigelt and 20% Blauer Portugieser; red grapes planted in a white soil, the famous Hollenburger conglomerate. The grapes are stomped by foot with whole clusters and undergo a semi-carbonic fermentation (about 75% of the total). The wine is aged 50% in large barrels and 50% barrels. About half of the barrels are not topped off and the wine develops flor, giving more depth and complexity. It’s bottled without filtration, giving a slightly cloudy wine.

Christoph Hoch is the twelth generation, since 1640, to make wine in his town of Hollenburg, on the south side of the Danube. Historically, vines were planted on this side of the Danube and the north side was for food crops. In 2013, Hoch split from his parents winery, starting with five hectares that would have been his inheritence eventually. Today (Sept. 2019), Hoch has 12 hectares total, all in Hollenburg, and all farmed biodynamically and certified by Demeter. The subsoil is Hollenburger conglomerate, which was formed by the Traisental and Danube rivers crashing together and compacting chalk and river stones together. The chalk is equally as active as the Côte des Blancs in Champagne, bringing minerals to the vines.

Varietal:  80% Zweigelt, 20% Blauer Portugieser

Alcohol Content:  9.5%