JAMES SUCKLING - 96 POINTS Deep, subtle aromas of elderberries and wild blackberries are wrapped around a serious and focused structure. Extremely cool and concentrated with intense chalky minerality perfectly integrated into the seamless whole. The delicacy of the finish makes you feel like you’re floating in the clouds despite ample tannins. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Stuart Pigott.
WINE ADVOCATE - 94+ POINTS The 2021 Ried Spitzerberg – Kranzen 10TW opens with a deep, intense and complex bouquet of dark tea leaves, ripe and lush cherries, salt and earth. More reductive than Dorli's other selections from the Spitzerberg, this is a generous yet elegant, finessed, lush and layered Blaufrankisch with a great mix of fine tannins and stimulating salinity. This is an intense and utterly charming red wine with some Barolo features in terms of flavors, inner vitality and irresistible charm. This is not the last Kranzen that was produced, but from 2022 onward, the wine is part of the newly defined Spitzerberg 1OTW. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Stephan Reinhardt. Last year, Dorli Muhr described 2021 as "an exceptional vintage, probably the best ever grown on the Spitzerberg." Whether this dictum is still true will be seen in years, but the 2022 vintage gives beautiful Blaufrankisch red wines from the Spitzerberg as well, even though I prefer the 2021s from lesser origins such as Prellenkrichen and Carnuntum and namely the Syrah. Drink dates: 2025 through 2050.
The spring of 2021 was dry for a very long time and later also rather cool, which delayed budbreak. As a result, reports Muhr, the Spitzerberg did not suffer any damage from the terrible spring frost. The summer was repeatedly interrupted by small rain showers and also had cooler phases, which led to an even, balanced ripening without any drought stress. In the fall, the weather changed, and there was a long, sunny and dry period that produced wonderfully ripe, particularly fruit-intensive grapes. "2021 is a wonderfully complex vintage, somewhat more powerful than its predecessor, with great potential." Published: Jul 03, 2025.
ANTONIO GALLONI - VINOUS - 94 POINTS The 2021 Blaufrankisch Ried Spitzerberg Kranzen is from over 70-year-old recultivated vines. Aromatic, ripe, red cherry on the nose is surrounded by some smoke that almost has a touch of incense. The palate is lighter than the nose suggests. It's graceful but firm in structure, with tannins that exude an aromatic smokiness as they manifest themselves. Red fruit plays between them, showing the first signs of woodland savor. This is a lovely wine with a firm frame that will yield with a little bottle age. It's elegant and mysterious, almost with a sense of the gothic.
Dorli Muhr says that while 2021 (the current release of her Spitzerberg Blaufrankisch reds) was hot and dry, summer had a cooler phase that slowed things down, followed by a “fantastic fall that was sunny and cool.” Harvest occurred without stress. Muhr’s wines have immense personality and vivid character. She truly is one of the leading lights of this one last spur of the Carpathians reaching west into Austria.
WINE ADVOCATE - 94+ POINTS The 2021 Ried Spitzerberg – Kranzen 10TW opens with a deep, intense and complex bouquet of dark tea leaves, ripe and lush cherries, salt and earth. More reductive than Dorli's other selections from the Spitzerberg, this is a generous yet elegant, finessed, lush and layered Blaufrankisch with a great mix of fine tannins and stimulating salinity. This is an intense and utterly charming red wine with some Barolo features in terms of flavors, inner vitality and irresistible charm. This is not the last Kranzen that was produced, but from 2022 onward, the wine is part of the newly defined Spitzerberg 1OTW. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Stephan Reinhardt. Last year, Dorli Muhr described 2021 as "an exceptional vintage, probably the best ever grown on the Spitzerberg." Whether this dictum is still true will be seen in years, but the 2022 vintage gives beautiful Blaufrankisch red wines from the Spitzerberg as well, even though I prefer the 2021s from lesser origins such as Prellenkrichen and Carnuntum and namely the Syrah. Drink dates: 2025 through 2050.
The spring of 2021 was dry for a very long time and later also rather cool, which delayed budbreak. As a result, reports Muhr, the Spitzerberg did not suffer any damage from the terrible spring frost. The summer was repeatedly interrupted by small rain showers and also had cooler phases, which led to an even, balanced ripening without any drought stress. In the fall, the weather changed, and there was a long, sunny and dry period that produced wonderfully ripe, particularly fruit-intensive grapes. "2021 is a wonderfully complex vintage, somewhat more powerful than its predecessor, with great potential." Published: Jul 03, 2025.
ANTONIO GALLONI - VINOUS - 94 POINTS The 2021 Blaufrankisch Ried Spitzerberg Kranzen is from over 70-year-old recultivated vines. Aromatic, ripe, red cherry on the nose is surrounded by some smoke that almost has a touch of incense. The palate is lighter than the nose suggests. It's graceful but firm in structure, with tannins that exude an aromatic smokiness as they manifest themselves. Red fruit plays between them, showing the first signs of woodland savor. This is a lovely wine with a firm frame that will yield with a little bottle age. It's elegant and mysterious, almost with a sense of the gothic.
Dorli Muhr says that while 2021 (the current release of her Spitzerberg Blaufrankisch reds) was hot and dry, summer had a cooler phase that slowed things down, followed by a “fantastic fall that was sunny and cool.” Harvest occurred without stress. Muhr’s wines have immense personality and vivid character. She truly is one of the leading lights of this one last spur of the Carpathians reaching west into Austria.