Haller's Genuss & SPA is a culinary hotspot in the Kleinwalsertal. Outstanding menus, a sensational wine list, a dedicated cheese sommelier. It was never in question that our fruit brandies and our Mostello had to find their way onto the menu here. What started as a business partnership has since grown into a genuine friendship with the Haller family.
At some point the idea came up – the exact evening and the story behind it remain only a vague memory and can no longer be recounted with any precision – to let a barrel of Mostello mature up on the mountain. No sooner said than done. Mostello Barrel 40 (vintage 2014) was whisked up to the Walmendingerhorn and has since been exposed to the forces of nature at an altitude of 2,000 metres. Icy winds, bitter cold and swirling snow. But also crystal-clear air and high-altitude sunshine.
On the right path at the Walmendingerhorn
How does our Mostello develop under these extraordinary conditions, and how does its flavour change? In 2017, Josef drew a sample. It was tasted with a few knowledgeable palates and guests at the summit of the Horn in the Hora-Bar. The result was astonishing. Snow, wind and weather have an extremely beneficial effect on the maturation of the pear dessert wine. The '14 Mostello comes across as harmonious and smooth – much creamier than its siblings resting in the cellar back in Öhling. Apparently, as Josef suspects, the acidity breaks down more quickly up here than it does at home in the Mostviertel. What's more, the Mostello in the mountain barrel loses considerably less volume than we expected – and feared. Just 3.5 per cent. Back home in Öhling it's nearly double that.
What happens next? Barrel 40 tastes so delicious that we are more than happy to let it continue ageing. Right now it is soaking up the sun and the snow, admired by skiers and snowboarders on the Walmendingerhorn. Just two weeks ago it still had to be dug out from under the snow. We are very curious to see how the Mostello will taste at the next sampling, and we are already looking forward to returning to the Kleinwalsertal.
