2014 Emmerich Knoll Riesling Vinothekfüllung Smaragd

Emmerich Knoll

Austria / Wachau / Emmerich Knoll

Wine name/ Variety: Riesling Vinothekfüllung
Viticulturist: Knoll family
Location: Wachau/ Unter-Loiben
Elevation/ Altitude: 260 – 350 m
Exposition: Different terraced vineyards with southern exposure
Soil type: Gneiss-based primary rock with Löss components
Methods of training: modified Moser Training System
Density of planting: 5,000 – 6,500 per hectare / 1.40 – 1.80m row spacing
Harvesting: by hand; selective harvest; rarely green harvest
VINIFICATION
No destemming, skin contact, no carbonic maceration, pneumatic press. Vinified with cultured and natural yeast
Fermentation vessel: cask and stainless steel tank from 500 to 5,000 litres depending on batch quantity
Fermentation length & temperature: 5- 15 days, 23 - 26 degrees

February, 2016

David Schildknecht

Vinous Media

92 points

This originates almost entirely from one surprisingly high-elevation parcel of the Loibenberg. “Ordinarily, you’d expect less botrytis there,” notes Knoll Senior, “but this was picked very late, and the botrytis in this breezy location led to berries shriveling and quickly adding a whole degree of potential alcohol.” Creamy in midpalate texture, dominantly peachy and peach-pit-tinged, this also exhibits smoky black tea, piquant orange zest, almond extract, quince preserves and prickly spiciness, all reflecting its brush with noble rot. The long finish projects an enveloping sense of richness allied to tactile piquancy and cut.

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About Emmerich Knoll

"This winery has produced so many cult wines over the last decades that it would not be a problem to fill an entire book with their tasting notes." So goes the Falstaff Ultimate Wine Guide's entry on Knoll, pronounced with a K. The winery uses exclusively old oak foudres and implements a winemaking philosophy that places varietal site expression at the forefront. Emmerich Knoll senior is a thoughtful, quiet man; the opposite of Emmerich junior, cosmopolitan and modern in his approach. The Knolls have holdings in all the best sites, as exemplified by their success in the now infamous UK tasting where an aged Knoll Grüner beat a field of Grand Cru white Burgundies. The unmistakable labels bearing the image of Saint Urban, the patron saint of winegrowing, are a reminder that tradition is the watchword here. But what isn’t so obvious is that Emmerich Knoll’s wines are sheer joy to drink — now or far into the future.

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