Rudi Pichler Riesling Ried Achleiten Smaragd

Riesling Ried Achleithen Smaragd bottle image

Wine Description

Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner. Rudi Pichler belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex.

Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with botrytis carefully removed by hand.  Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided.

Achleithen, from “ach” meaning water path and “leiten” referring to the slope, is a terraced vineyard in Weißenkirchen sitting between 200 and 400 meters of elevation. Rudi Pichler’s parcel lies in the small section of Achleithen that faces west where weathered Gföler Gneiss dominates the upper terraces. Achleithen is one of the most famous vineyards in the Wachau and gives wines that are distinctly mineral.

Rudi Pichler Winery
Rudi Pichler Vineyards
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Acclaim
“A very fresh and complex nose with mountain herbs, flint, wildflowers, white pepper and a gently spicy edge, too. The palate has a succulent feel with such juicy and concentrated stone-fruit flavors. Depth of flavor and elegant structure.”
— James Suckling, Dec 2019
“The ‘Ried Achleithen Smaragd’ Riesling is a spectacular old-vine Riesling from this storied estate first founded in 1904. The wine was aged in stainless steel tanks for eight months and then another month in the bottle before release. Once on the nose the perfumed aromatics catch you off guard, showing formidable range from orange blossom to wet stone and green apple tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate has intense minerality and weight, with a silky mouthfeel. Showing marvelously right now, the 2018 ‘Ried Achleithen Smaragd’ Riesling will have a very long life ahead of it.”
— Washington Wine Blog, Jun 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Ried Achleithen
Vineyard size
55 acres
Soil composition
Gneiss and Rocky
Training method
Cane-pruned
Elevation:
726-1,188 feet
Vines/acre:
1,800
Exposure:
Southwestern
Average Vine Age:
40+ years
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold soak
Time on its skins:
18 hours
Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
no
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of aging before bottling:
7 months
Length of bottle aging:
1 month
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Analytical Data
Acidity:
5.7 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Residual sugar:
4.9 g/L