2021 Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd Terrassen, Wachau

A focused, minerally wine, offering alluring floral, white tea, citrus and honeysuckle notes wrapped around a core of chalky crushed flint, with a dusting of white pepper. Tightly coiled and complex and crackling with energy, this is shy now but has a lot of power in reserve. Drink now through 2035

92 points winespectator.com

Light yellow-green, silver reflections. Delicate yellow tropical fruit, hints of orange zest and blossom honey, some mango and peach. Taut, tight-knit, fresh acidity, salty, finesse, white fruit, a touch of passion fruit, spicy tannins on the finish, very good length, lime on the finish.

95 points falstaff.com

Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd Terrassen from Austria’s celebrated Wachau region is a benchmark expression of the region’s power, precision and elegance. Rudi Pichler is one of the most respected winemakers in the Wachau, consistently crafting dry, complex white wines that reflect their steep, terraced vineyard origins and the unique mesoclimate of the Danube valley.

The “Smaragd” classification denotes the richest and most ageworthy style of dry wines from the Wachau, and the “Terrassen” bottling is a cuvée from several of Pichler’s premier sites, including Loibenberg and Achleiten, each known for their dramatic stone terraces and ancient primary rock soils. These sites are famous for producing wines of shimmering tension and mineral depth.

Rudi Pichler works with low yields, hand harvesting and spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in stainless steel, letting the terroir and variety speak. The wine is dry, structured and layered, with intense notes of ripe lime, white peach, crushed herbs and stone dust. There’s an electric vein of acidity running through it, keeping the powerful fruit in check and driving a long, spicy, almost saline finish.

This is a wine that balances richness with finesse. Brilliant young, it also evolves beautifully over a decade or more, gaining notes of beeswax, petrol and lanolin. Serve with spiced pork, veal schnitzel, or miso-glazed cod.