2022 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd, Wachau

Fragrant nose of dried herb, white pepper, jackfruit and yellow kiwi fruit. It’s sleek and creamy, full-bodied, but with a lovely coolness. Exotic fruit and herb character but not rich or overpowering. Drink or hold.

94 points jamessuckling.com

The Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd from the Wachau is a benchmark expression of Austria’s signature white grape, drawn from one of the region’s most celebrated vineyards. The Loibenberg site, with its steep, sun-drenched terraces of gneiss and mica-schist, produces Grüner Veltliner of remarkable intensity, structure and finesse. The “Smaragd” designation represents the most powerful and age-worthy style of Wachau wines, reserved for those with richness, depth and the ability to cellar for decades. Leo Alzinger and his family are renowned for their meticulous, small-scale approach, producing wines of purity and precision that consistently rank among the finest in Austria.

In the glass it is pale gold with green reflections. The nose is complex and expressive, with ripe pear, peach and melon layered with white pepper, tobacco leaf, herbs and a flinty mineral edge. The palate is full-bodied and textured, offering juicy stone fruit and citrus flavours carried by fine acidity and a savoury, spicy backbone. The finish is long, powerful and elegant, combining richness with freshness in perfect balance.

Food pairings highlight its weight and versatility: roast pork with crackling, Wiener schnitzel, grilled fish with herbs, or lightly spiced Asian dishes such as Thai green curry. It is also excellent with aged alpine cheeses. With 15 to 20 years of cellaring potential, this wine develops honeyed, nutty and smoky notes while retaining its mineral core.