Austrian Whites

@weingut_prager is the master of Austria's #Wachau region. Franz Prager had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein (known as "Terroirist of the Wachau") married into the family. "From stone to wine" is Toni Bodenstein's motto. His ambition lies in exploring the quality and ageing potential of individual sites. The goal is to bring unique, archetypal wines into the glass which carry the very essence of their provenance. Prager's Wachstum Bodenstein #Riesling Smaragd comes from Wachstum vineyard, meaning “Growth” or “Cru,” which is planted with 25 different nursery clones of Riesling at 1,500 feet in elevation. 99 points Falstaff "Pale greenish yellow, silver glints. Nuances of light stone fruit, intense whiffs of exotic fruits, a hint of passion fruit, and delicate lime tones. A charming array of nuances. Juicy, complex, very tightly woven, taut, radiant acidity, cool, long-lasting style, great presence, succulent but not cloying. Promising ageing potential for years to come." The #GrunerVeltliner is from Ried Achleiten which is one of the most famous vineyards in the Wachau. The steeply-terraced vineyard has existed since Roman times. Some sections have just 40 cm of topsoil over the bedrock of Gfoler Gneiss, amphibolitic stone, and slate - giving this wine aromatic complexity coupled with power and tension. This premium priced wine has to be given a context. I look at it, not as a very expensive white wine, but a wine on par with an (inexpensive) 1er Cru White Burgundy. Except I don't know any 1er Cru white Burgundies that get such high scores. In fact, I might be doing Prager a disservice comparing this wine to 1er Crus. A more apt comparison should probably be to...#Montrachet. However, when was the last time anyone saw a Montrachet for $90 (maybe for a cost of a small sip). It's all relative. 98 points Falstaff "Pale yellow-green, silver glints. Softly scented nuances of meadow herbs, delicate white apple fruit, a hint of mango, orange zest, and a mineral-smoky touch. Complex, juicy, elegant nuances of yellow stone fruit, subtle arc of acidity, silkiness, a hint of lime, persistence, and minerality, followed by resonating expression of fruits. Promising ageing potential." @falstaff.magazin

Riesling Smaragd Wachau 2021

Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau 2021