"The first vintage from Georg Leindl’s new estate, this is exotically ripe, with notes of guava and kiwi scented with honeysuckle and smoke. The structure keeps it firm enough to age for a few years while it’s charming enough to enjoy straightaway."
- Wine & Spirits Magazine (Year's Best Austria, February 2017), 90 pts
"Distinct dried pear, apricot and sultana notes signal some evolution in this wine. The same, rich dried fruit notes are accented with zesty grapefruit freshness on the dry, concentrated palate. It finishes with pithy bitterness and a moreish streak of lemon. Rather advanced for the vintage but still evolving. Drink now–2022. - Anne Krebiehl MW"
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2017), 90 pts
"Scents of buddleia, gentian, thyme and lavender immediately hint at the site in which this grew, and there is corresponding inner-mouth perfume to delightfully complement luscious apple and white peach on the satiny, palpably extract-rich palate, as do also a glowing piquancy of pits and pips and Veltliner-like savor of blond tobacco. The buoyant and profoundly protracted finish here leaves behind a soothing and intriguing carpet of flavors while not forgetting its first duty to refresh. - David Schildknecht"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2015), 93 pts
"A hint of dried pear and dried lime zest plays before juicier lime speaks. The palate has a similar tension between ripe, almost dried fruit richness, while zestiness tones it all down into taut slenderness. This is exciting, textured, juicy and totally moreish. There is something concentrated and pervasive that hits several pleasure buttons at once. Drink now–2035. - Anne Krebiehl MW"
- Wine Enthusiast (March 2019), 95 pts
"Lovely aromas of ripe, juicy pear have a lovely orange zestiness on the nose. The palate has a similar zesty fruit notion, of ripe, juicy, vivid but rounded ripe citrus. A little heat can be felt on the finish as well as lovely drive. There is some lovely flavor concentration of tangerine and Mandarin orange on the dry midpalate. - Anne Krebiehl MW"
- Wine Enthusiast (February 2020), 93 pts
- Wine Enthusiast (May 2022), 92 pts
"Aged on the lees for 12 months in stainless steel, this wine saw no oak. Its original name – Hellenstein -- referred to hell stone, as the vineyards are on a mountain where the “sun burns like hell.” It was later renamed Heiligenstein, which translates as holy rock, and is a geological island of desert sandstone, with volcanic matter. Its earthy slate character lends out scents and flavors of honeyed apricot, salty pears, and stone fruit pith."
-The Tasting Panel (May/June 2022), 94 pts
