2022 Rudi Pichler Terrasen Weissburgunder Smaragd Wachau DAC Austria

Rudi Pichler is considered one of Austria’s most exemplary producers, recognized for crafting wines defined by precision, structure, and long-term aging potential. Named Falstaff’s Vintner of the Year in 2010, the estate has been rooted in Wösendorf since 1731, where generations of the Pichler family have cultivated the steep Wachau terraces.

Rudolf Pichler III took the reins in 1997 and expanded the estate while building a modern cellar in 2004. Despite the contemporary facilities, Pichler follows a restrained, traditional winemaking philosophy: “When the wine is in balance, you don’t have to make it. You’re not a winemaker, just a caretaker.” Today, he and his son, Rudi Jr., work side by side, crafting white wines that Falstaff describes as “precise and full of character.”

Though the estate is best known for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling—which make up the majority of their production—Pichler’s Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) bottlings are among the hidden gems of the Wachau. They receive the same meticulous vineyard work and cellar precision as his flagship wines, resulting in expressions that are elegant, textural, and deeply terroir-driven.

2022 Terrasen Weissburgunder Smaragd comes from steep, sun-drenched terraces rooted in ancient Gföhl gneiss and enriched with pockets of loess. These old vines dig deep into the mineral soils, producing a Pinot Blanc of impressive depth, purity, and tension—an unmistakable Wachau interpretation shaped by stone, slope, and the Pichler family’s generational expertise.