One Good Bottle: Austrian Riesling

Austrian rieslings can be magnificent: taut, tingling, and full-bodied, all at the same time. I especially love the crisp, lean rieslings produced in the Kamptal region, particularly the ones labeled "Urgestein". The name, which means prehistoric rocks, is a reference to the stony soil in which the grapes for these wines grow. Urgestein rieslings have a laser-beam minerality and go wonderfully with rich foods, from curries to foie gras. An excellent one is the 2007 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Urgestein ($24); it has a lovely, lime-lemongrass-loquat nose and an array of mouth-filling, almost peachy flavors, along with all that zingy acidity for which this region's rieslings are known.