Prager Achleiten Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner Ried Achleiten Smaragd bottle image

Wine Description

Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.

Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have a minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.

Ried Achleiten sits east of Weißenkirchen and 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 Gföler Gneiss, amphibolitic stone, and slate. “Destroyed soil,” as Toni Bodenstein likes to say.

Prager Vineyards
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Acclaim
A very elegant and silky gruner veltliner with a wealth of white peach, white flower, lime and wild herb aromas and flavors. The palate is medium-bodied, sleek and concentrated. So cool and refined, the power deftly underplayed from the delicate entry to the crystalline finish, where it shines like a star. — James Suckling, Nov 2024
“The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Ried Achleiten Smaragd is one of three wines Bodensteiner makes from this site. This wine is picked on either side of the Achleiten Tor, across twenty terraces each, on a mix of gneiss, Alpine deposits and amphibolite from vines planted in the 1950s. The shy nose gives a touch of citrus, slightly obscured by gently stony smoke. The palate is immediately graceful, slender and almost bony. The fine structure is clothed in translucent tangerine flavors, is juicy and friendly but graceful, and has terrific zestiness. Subtle spice on the nose only comes with more air. The 2023 is fine but also mild. (Dry)” — Vinous, Jul 2024
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Ried Achleiten
Vineyard size
55 acres
Soil composition
Gföler Gneiss, amphibolitic stone, and slate
Elevation:
686-1,175 feet
Exposure:
Southeastern
Harvest time:
October-November
Bottles produced of this wine:
6,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Grüner Veltliner
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Total SO2
130
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Analytical Data
Acidity:
7 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Dry extract:
24 g/L
Total SO2
130
Residual sugar:
5 g/L