Nikolaihof Riesling Vinothek Fass Severin 1997

98 points Stuart Pigott (JamesSuckling.com): "Welcome to the wine time machine! Although there are deep, mature aromas that range from an old library to quince paste and beeswax, after a little aeration some remarkably fresh citrus character emerges. Great concentration and restrained power on the wonderfully harmonious palate. Very long, bone-dry finish. Bottled in early 2022 after 25 years maturing in a large barrel of neutral oak. The barrel name, Fass Severin, is on the label. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. (11/15/22)"

97 points Anne Krebiehl, MW (Vinous): "The 1997 Riesling Vinothek Fass Severin was bottled in February 2022 after almost 25 years in a 3,000-liter barrel, on whose headboard is a carving of Saint Severin—hence the name. (NB this is a different wine from a different site than the one previously released in 2014 as Vinothek 1997). A cooling sense of lemon and Mirabelle rises from the slightly waxy, slightly yeasty nose. All is subdued, and nothing is up-front. Concentration and linearity of lemon brightness is immediate on the palate. This is a pure, very ripe, intense Riesling of unusual freshness. It has a salty, waxy depth that draws you in but comes across as immensely youthful. This is so clean-cut, so hair-raising, so pristine—a wonderful depiction of Riesling's essential nature as a life force of freshness and inherent drive. Profound lemon freshness echoes long. (Bone-dry) Drink: 2023-2045. (Feb 2024)"

97 points Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate): "Aged 27 years but bottled only in February 2022, the extraordinary 1997 Riesling Vinothek Fass Severin represents a truly great vintage of rare qualities in the Wachau and all along the Danube between Spitz and Vienna. Mainly sourced in the vineyards Im Weingebirge (amphibolite, loess and paragneiss) and Vom Stein (loess and Danube gravel) as well as from other vineyards in Mautern, the white-golden 1997 Vinothek Riesling is from a cask named Severin and is clear, fresh and savory on the deep and intense yet elegant and even in part leafy nose that shows coolish, mineral depth and even reveals some sweet saffron and vegetal or even greenish/nutty nuances just like acorns. Is this Riesling the perfect match with Ibérico de Bellota? Full-bodied, dense and very complex yet also vivacious and even frisky on the palate, this is a great, comparably lean rather than rich and powerful Riesling from the Nikolaihof whose Jura-like flor note is highly delicate and discreet and perfectly intermingled with flinty tones. Surprisingly, the flor nuance disappears with generous aeration. This 1997 is tight, fresh and elegant on the lively, incredibly young palate, leaving intensity, salt and complexity. The wine is very long and highly promising, a stellar vintage for the Wachau and Nikolaihof. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in January 2025. Drink: 2027-2065. (1/23/25)"