Tasting précis by John on Monday, February 15, 2010.
The Basics
Franz Xavier Pichler has made quite a name for himself as he consistently turns out incredible Gruner and Riesling cuvees. His skills shine in his Smaragd cuvees. Smaragd is a tiny lizard that finds its way to the warmest part of the vineyards in Austria. Winemakers, and now governing bodies, have classified the ripest wines with the most alcohol Smaragd, in honor of their tiny sun loving reptile. This wine clocks in at 14% abv.
The GrapeGruner Veltliner.
The Place
Pichler has set up shop in the Wachau, one of the most important wine making regions in Austria. The wine comes from the Loibenberg vineyard which is located in Central Wachau along the Danube near the village of Durnstein. It is the largest contigous vineyard in the Wachau.
The Vintage
Rainy. Winemakers had a difficult time preventing the spread of rot and keeping the grapes from taking in too much water. The best winemakers were able to prune judiciously and their Gruner Veltliners did better than their Rieslings.
The Goods
I decanted this wine last night for dinner. The first thing that struck me was the color - it was light gold with greenish highlights. The wine is the slightest bit cloudy - which makes sense since Pichler doesn't fine or filter. The wine was aged in large oak barrels which helped in giving the wine a bit of color from air contact.
On the nose, green apples, smoke and chalk jumped out of the glass. White flowers and melons rounded out the aromatics.
One of the first things I notice when I drink a wine is the texture - even before acid, tannin, flavors, etc... Texturally, this wine was unctious - not in a Sauternes kind of way, but it's a wine with body. This came from the alcohol. Peach, apricots, stone and white flowers all carried on the palate. The oily textured carried the back palate and wet stone and moderate acidity prolonged a finish that went on for minutes. Harmonious and a delight to drink, this Gruner is not shy on body or complexity. Every note in the bottle worked together and expressed not only a winemaker's style, but what Gruner cab n
What's the Price?
Retail$50-$75.
Restaurant
$125-$150.
