Prager Wachstum Bodenstein Riesling

Riesling Wachstum Bodenstein 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 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.

Wachstum, meaning “Growth” or “Cru,” is a nursery for Toni Bodenstein who planted 25 different nursery clones of Riesling 460 meters in elevation at the top of Hinter Seiber. When planted in 1990, the goal of Wachstum Bodenstein was to preserve biodiversity. First produced in 1993, it is now one of Prager’s most sought-after wines.

Prager Vineyards
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Acclaim
“This Riesling is not designated as a single-vineyard wine, but comes from Prager's highest and coolest vineyards at 460 metres. It offers an intense citric nose, with lemongrass notes. It has a blazing attack, lean and precise, sustained by high but not excessive acidity. Spry and lively, it's very youthful with a tight structure but it's also fresh and airy. It displays drive and punch, and a very long, saline finish. It needs time to develop more nuances.” — Decanter, Jul 2024
“Offers power and substance in the form of ripe apple and Asian pear flavors, with a deep vein of chalky mineral, dried herb and chamomile notes. Supple and broad on the palate, offering lemon thyme accents and a clean, bright, glistening beam of acidity through the succulent, smoky and dry finish. Shows terrific density and vibrancy.” – (appeared online June 12, 2024) — Wine Spectator, Sep 2024
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Wachstum Bodenstein (Ried Hinter Seiber)
Vineyard size
2 acres
Soil composition
Paragneiss
Elevation:
1,509 feet
Vines/acre:
2,720
Yield/acre:
1.6 tons
Exposure:
Southern
Year vineyard planted:
1990
Harvest time:
November
First vintage of this wine:
1993
Bottles produced of this wine:
6,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
35 days
Fermentation temperature:
64 °F
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of aging before bottling:
7 months
Length of bottle aging:
2 months
Total SO2
130
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Analytical Data
Acidity:
8 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
Total SO2
130
Residual sugar:
4.1 g/L