2010 Prager Grüner Veltliner Achleiten Smaragd

Weingut Prager

Austria / Wachau / Weingut Prager

The Achleiten vineyard is held by many to be the greatest terroir in Austria's Wachau region. The historical site was first documented in 1521. This wine comes from about nine acres of old vines, in the south-facing middle section of the cru, planted in 1954. This is a wine that purely expresses the character of Achleiten: a savoury, pungent quality to the exotic fruit as well as white pepper notes, allied to a creamy, succulent texture and fine acid structure.

October, 2011

David Schildknecht

Wine Advocate

95 points

The Prager 2010 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten displays pristine white peach, blueberry, citrus, and sweet pea fruit in shimmering interplay with diversely saline, wet stone, and crystalline mineral nuances. Hints of green tea, chamomile and gentian add allure from the nose to this wine’s long and vivacious tail. There is buoyancy, near delicacy such as you’ll seldom encounter in a Smaragd, yet with no sacrifice in succulence of ripe fruit. Palpable CO2 enhances this wine’s sense of lift and refreshment and, thinks Bodenstein, will enhance its longevity as well. I would expect this beauty to be well worth following for the better part of two decades.

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About Weingut Prager

It’s all stainless steel, clean and high-tech at Prager. Toni Bodenstein is an icon of the new Austria and innovative in his approach. He’s been in control of winemaking since the early nineties and has positioned Prager firmly in Europe’s top echelon. The estate’s vineyards cover 16.5ha; 60% planted to Riesling, 40% Grüner Veltliner. Toni is the foremost authority in the region on the hugely diverse mesoclimates across the valley. His entry-level Grüner and Riesling are the epitome of Wachau purity and the rest of the range is a fascinating study in the terroir of Austria's greatest white-wine region. As Falstaff magazine puts it: "Bodenstein creates wines that unite elegance and finesse with expressiveness and power. These wines show that the great growths of the Wachau are some of the best in the world."

About

Toni Bodenstein is mayor of the town of Weissenkirchen and known as the “terroirist of the Wachau”, a pair of facts that give an idea of his connection to his land and culture, as well as the high esteem in which he’s held. “Vom Stein zum Wein” goes the motto at Prager, which likewise indicates the relationship between where the grapes grow and what you get to drink. Through his deep respect for tradition and the environment, he creates wines that unite finesse with expressiveness and power.