2017 Rudi Pichler Weissburgunder Smaragd Kollmütz, Wachau

Bright golden yellow, silver reflections. Delicately nutty, fine pear, a touch of herbal spice, ripe honeydew melon, delicate tangerine zest. Full-bodied, fine white apple, fine acidity, elegant texture, lemony note on the finish, will improve, definite ageing potential.

94 points Falstaff

Rudi Pichler is one of the Wachau’s great growers, based in Wösendorf and known for wines of remarkable clarity, restraint and longevity. The family has farmed vines in the region for generations, but Rudi has built the modern domaine around an uncompromising belief in vineyard expression. Kollmütz is a steep terraced site rising behind Wösendorf, and Weissburgunder — Pinot Blanc — gives a fascinating alternative view of this celebrated Wachau terroir.

Kollmütz is shaped by ancient metamorphic rock, steep stone terraces and the dramatic temperature swings of the Wachau. Warm air moving along the Danube encourages ripeness, while cool evening currents descending from the surrounding hills preserve freshness. Smaragd signals a dry wine of greater concentration, and with the 2017 now showing some bottle age, youthful orchard fruit is giving way to more savoury, nutty complexity.

Bright gold in the glass, the nose opens with baked pear, quince and yellow apple before chamomile, preserved lemon and honeysuckle appear. With air come toasted almond, beeswax, hazelnut and a little wet stone. The palate is broad and silky, with ripe orchard fruit balanced by fresh acidity and a lovely savoury grip. Pear skin, lemon oil and roasted nuts build through the middle before a long, dry finish of almond, herbs and stone.

This is ready for steamed mud crab with ginger and spring onion, roast pork belly with caraway, scallops with miso butter, chicken shawarma with toum or charred cauliflower with tahini and almonds. Our pick is the mud crab, sweet flesh, ginger and sizzling spring onion against mature Weissburgunder’s pear, nuts and savoury texture could become a rather expensive habit.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2032.