2019 Riesling and Grüner from Wachau great
So much excitement surrounds 2019 in Germany – and therefore we have plenty to look forward to there. But less known is the fact that things turned out equally auspiciously across the border in Austria.
“The 2019 vintage is an excellent one for Austria’s wine producers and we found a slew of dry white wines that combine ripe fruit and expressive herbal/spicy aromas with medium-full body plus lively acidity that makes them extremely appealing,” wrote Stuart Pigott of jamessuckling.com. “We can wholeheartedly recommend them to you.”
The first whites are available now, and are emphatic evidence of the joy in store. To gauge the Wachau from just two classics, what better example than that of Emmerich Knoll’s benchmark Federspiel wines.
2019 Emmerich Knoll Loibner Grüner Veltliner Federspiel $54
The fruit for Emmerich Knoll Grüner Veltliner Federspiel comes from flat land on alluvial, sandy soils at an altitude of 220m. The vines are trained on a modified Moser training system and planted to a density of 3,500–4,000 per hectare. Selectively hand harvested. The grapes are slowly airbag pressed as whole clusters, with some skin contact. Fermented with cultured and natural yeast in a mixture of cask and stainless steel tank from 500 to 5,000 litres, depending on batch quantity. Fermented for 5- 10 days at temperatures between 20 and 22 degrees. Lees aged for three months wit no bâtonnage. Racked twice all up, and given a light filtration before bottling.
Excellent weight and texture, a fine powdery white peppery feel here, and richness of tangerine, red apple skin and something like lemon barley in the mix, and fennel perfume, but one of those wines where the flavours found will vary greatly from person to person. Never mind all that though, the main thing is that it’s just so good to drink. Maybe some parsnip or turnip, too, and a light vaguely green character, though never at expense of ripeness. Finish is long and fleshy. Terrific.
94 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
2019 Emmerich Knoll Loibner Riesling Federspiel $59
The fruit for Emmerich Knoll Riesling Federspiel comes from flat land on alluvial, sandy soils at an altitude of 220m. The vines are trained on a modified Moser training system and planted to a density of 3,500–4,000 per hectare. Selectively hand harvested. The grapes are slowly airbag pressed as whole clusters, with some skin contact. Fermented with cultured and natural yeast in a mixture of cask and stainless steel tank from 500 to 5,000 litres, depending on batch quantity. Fermented for 5- 10 days at temperatures between 20 and 22 degrees. Lees aged for three months with no bâtonnage. Racked twice all up, and given a light filtration before bottling.
The first impression is of a bright, charming dry riesling with a lovely fresh-peach aroma. Then, when you look a bit more closely, it has quite some mineral depth that strongly marks the finish. Drink or hold.
92 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com
2017 Emmerich Knoll Ried Schütt Riesling Smaragd $132
Compared to the terrace locations with Gföhl gneiss, the soils in the Schutt area are sandier and stonier, while also very deep. The vineyard tends to produce very focused, straight and powerful wines with the most minerality. Smoky, citrus, stonefruits and minerality seeessly meld in this incredible example of single vineyard Wachau Riesling.
So many spicy nuances and an entire spectrum of stone-fruit aromas, make this dry riesling masterpiece extremely attractive. Yet, beneath these aromas lies a deep chasm that will suck you in if you gaze into it. Still quite firm and tight at the long finish. Drink or hold.
96 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com
2016 Emmerich Knoll Ried Schütt Riesling Smaragd $132
Super-ripe and super-fresh with hints of all the citrus fruits and some stone fruits, too. The finish has a ton of dried citrus and staggering vitality that suggests this wine has decades of ageing potential.
96 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com