Origin & Terroir
Achleiten is a legendary vineyard in the Wachau village of Weissenkirchen. It is famous for wines with inimitable mineral character. Dry stone walls dating back to the 12th century, which mount the steep slopes with their silicate-rich soil, dominate this vineyard’s landscape. In the upper terraces, gneiss is the prevailing subsoil, the lower terraces are dominated by dark, schistous amphibolites.
Grape Variety
According to the famous viticulture scientist Goethe, the Grüner Veltliner vine arrived in Austria in 1725, where it quickly replaced the then popular “Heunisch” (“the coarse”). However, the origin of the grape has not been clarified so far. Grüner Veltliner from Wachau always displays a pronounced mineral character and even the most concentrated wines show remarkable elegance.
Classification
Smaragd is the top category of Wachau wines. The name Smaragd was derived from the magnificent emerald green lizard that can be found basking in hot and sunny spots in the vineyards. Smaragd wines are dry, full-bodied and complex wines with plenty of finesse and great aging potential. Smaragd is a registered trademark of Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus e.V.
Vinification
Grüner Veltliner from Achleiten is characterised by low yields due to the meagre primary rock soils. In 2010, the grapes for this wine were hand-picked at the middle of November. The grapes were delivered to Dürnstein in plastic bins of approximately 300 kg. After several hours of maceration and gentle pressing, the wine aged in big wooden casks for several weeks.
TASTING NOTE
Intense straw yellow with golden highlights. Expressive on the nose with pronounced notes of spice, white pepper, tobacco, exotic fruits like mango, offering a pronounced mineral character. The enticing aromas are generous and playful. Tightly woven, the crisp, yet perfectly balanced acidity lingers in the mineral, almost salty, long finish.