2014 Prager Grüner Veltliner Hinter der Burg Federspiel

Weingut Prager

Austria / Wachau / Weingut Prager

Grüner Veltliner is the most widely planted grape variety in Austria. The Hinter der Burg (“behind the castle”) vineyard, overlooking the Danube river west of Vienna is rich in 'primary rock' such as schist, gneiss and granite. This is a delightfully powerful Grüner, all grapefruit, lime and spices, with a soaring mineral backbone. Winemaker Toni Bodenstein uses only stainless steel in the winery, aiming to preserve the very specific terroir of the Wachau.

February, 2016

David Schildknecht

Vinous Media

91 points

Surely the aromatic intensity, diversity and allure here owe something not only to long hang time but also to the inclusion of fruit from the steep, terraced slopes of Liebenberg, Weitenberg and Zwerithaler, each of which would nowadays in a normal vintage claim a Prager Smaragd bottling to itself. I wouldn’t rule out, either, that 11.5% alcohol is not just responsible for a lovely sense of buoyancy but possibly also permits a more refined and intricate aromatic expression. You get an entire field of grasses, herbs and flowers in the nose, accompanied by snap pea, pear, and ineffable suggestions of things mineral. Satiny in texture and infectiously juicy, this bottling doesn’t quite live up in its finish to what it offers up front. But pear skin, pea tendril and lemon oil lend piquant stimulation to accompany delicate echoes of herbs, flowers and stones.

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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.