2013 Prager Riesling Achleiten Smaragd

Weingut Prager

Austria / Wachau / Weingut Prager

Achleiten is a legendary vineyard in the Wachau village of Weissenkirchen. It’s famous for wines with an 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.

Stephan Reinhardt

Wine Advocate

94 points

Golden in colour, the 2013 Riesling Smaragd Achleiten is very different to the Steinriegl: richer, riper, more on the (tropical) fruit than the soil side. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, this wine is characterized through its enormous concentration and juicy fruitiness. It needs some years to relax and should therefore be stored for another 3-5 years. The aging potential, however, should be great.

Jancis Robinson

17.5/20

RS 3.5 g/l. Smoky nose, salty mineral salts on the palate – Epsom salts! Very youthful. 13%. Drink 2017-2030.

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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.