Wachau Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Achleiten

2021

Wine Advocate 93+: Clear, fresh and with cool, spicy aromatics on the nose, the 2021 Ried Achleiten Grüner Veltliner Smaragd is juicy and elegant on the palate with hints of iodine. With a compact and persistent structure and fine, crystalline acidity, this is an intensely juicy and aromatic Veltliner with a salty, spicy, extremely stimulating finish.

James Suckling 93: Intense aroma of fresh green beans and garden peas with notes of white and green pepper. Powerful and muscular, with a firm structure and crisp acidity for a gruner veltliner of this level. Stony, quite austere finish. Drink or hold.

Falstaff 96-98: 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.

2022

Wine Advocate 92: Dressed in intense white gold, the Weissenkirchen 2022 Ried Achleiten Grüner Veltliner Smaragd shows an intense, concentrated, complex and finely spiced nose with light phenolic notes. It is dense and powerful on the palate as well as salty and savory, with palatable tannins and an aromatic finish that is still quite hard and astringent. This should gain in finesse over the years in the bottle, but it needs time to do so. Tasted at Schloss Dürnstein, Wachau, in September 2023.

James Suckling 93: Crushed stones, lemongrass, Amalfi lemon and white pepper aromas to this striking clear and fresh Smaragd gruner. Full-bodied but not at all heavy, with sleek mineral and zesty layers and a long, precise finish. Drink or hold.

Vinous 95: The 2022 Gruner Veltlines Achleiten Smaragd is still shy on the nose.  Mere glimpses of yeast, juicy yellow stone fruit and peppery verve only tease with brief appearances.  The palate, however, is alive with white pepper, concentrated, tingling, chiseled and taut. This will take time to come out of its shell, but the promise of orange zest, pear flesh and even more white pepper is there.  This is a powerful, elegant wine from the near mythical site.

Decanter 93: The cooperative's offering from this legendary vineyard is exemplary: with a vibrant apricot nose that's lifted and elegant, and a fine attack. Fresh and limpid, it's distinctly mineral yet has a silky texture. The primary fruit is sustained by its tangy, almost sherbetty acidity, while the finish is long and coiled around the apricot fruit.

Wine Enthusiast 92: This is floral and medium to full bodied, with a soft and pleasant mouthfeel. It is well-structured, with midpalate dominated by Bosc pear and white pepper. Shows great harmony, with a soft, silky texture and excellent focus and precision.

Falstaff 97: Light yellow-green, silver reflections. Fine yellow apple fruit, a hint of meadow herbs, delicate mango and honeydew melon, subtle touch of lime, delicate smoky note. Juicy, elegant, fine nuances of white stone fruit, fine acidity, mineral-salty, lingers for a long time, a multifaceted companion at the table.