2021 Rudi Pichler Riesling Ried Achleiten Smaragd Wachau Austria

About the Wine

"This Wachau dry riesling masterpiece is still extremely youthful, so it is anything but a no-brainer. But if you are patient, notes of white peach, lemon balm, and a slew of wild herbs emerge. Super-precise and super-focused on the extremely concentrated palate, the enormous energy are almost all held in reserve for a journey to the stars that's just beginning. Enormously long and refined crushed-stone finish." ~James Suckling.

Rudi Pichler is among the absolute best producers in all of Austria. He was awarded Falstaff’s Vintner of the Year in 2010. He produces wines of precision, power, and longevity. 

The cellar is based in the village of Wösendorf where generations of Pichler's have tended vines since 1731. Rudolph Pichler III took over the winery in 1997 and has since expanded the vineyards and constructed a modern cellar in 2004. While the winery is modern and equipped with state-of-the-art technology, Rudy takes a more traditional and simpler approach to winemaking. He says “The most important thing is that the grapes have to be in balance. When the wine is in balance, you don’t have to make it. You’re not a winemaker just a caretaker. I just take care of them.”

He is the Grüner Veltliner king in Austria. This grape and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner.

Rudi has passed his expertise and wisdom to his son, Rudi junior, who works hand in hand with Rudi to create these white wines that Falstaff calls “precise and full of character.”

This Riesling Achleithen comes from steep, southwest-facing terraces of meager primary rock soils. The result is a magnificent white wine of great structure and strong mineral character. 

Tasting Notes: 100% Riesling. This outstanding Riesling is dry and shows a pleasing freshness. Beautiful aromas of white peaches, apples, and apricot with subtle notes of slate. This is an extremely versatile white wine. 

Reviews

This Wachau dry riesling masterpiece is still extremely youthful, so it is anything but a no-brainer. But if you are patient, notes of white peach, lemon balm, and a slew of wild herbs emerge. Super-precise and super-focused on the extremely concentrated palate, the enormous energy are almost all held in reserve for a journey to the stars that's just beginning. Enormously long and refined crushed-stone finish. ~99 James Suckling.

Medium greenish yellow, silver glints. Dark bristling minerality, subtle tropical fruit, a hint of pineapple, multilayered, and very evocative. Powerful, full-bodied, nuances of white fruit, elegant ripe acidity, lingers very long, conveys origin and depth, and will develop more facets with further development. Enormous length, a truly promising future ahead. ~99 Falstaff.

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