Mittelberg is a scant three kilometers from Langenlois and, at 400 meters elevation, somewhat higher, but there is a different atmosphere in this quiet village. The Gruber family has been here since the fifteenth century, and Michael, the current generation's winemaker, still operates the estate as something closer to a farm than a monoculture: thirteen hectares of vines sit among old fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and herb patches, with juices, jams, and schnapps produced alongside the wine. Three generations work the property together, and at harvest the family walks the rows and tastes the grapes to decide when to pick, a judgment that belongs to experience rather than the lab (the grandmother's palate, by all accounts, remains the one to beat). The vineyards draw from the same sites that supply the big names of Langenlois, across three distinct soil types (Urgestein, loess, and loam), and the wines carry a brio and purity that makes an immediate impression. The price-quality relationship is exceptional, and we think we have a star here.