2022 Emmerich Knoll Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner, Wachau

Stunning nose of fresh pineapple, pineapple chutney, also tobacco leaf and tarragon. Ripe and compact with considerable richness and concentration. Powerful dried herb and tobacco leaf finish, but no hint of warmth from alcohol (something not so rare in this category). Drink or hold.

95 points jamessuckling.com

Emmerich Knoll Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner is one of the great white wines of the Wachau and a benchmark for what Grüner Veltliner can achieve at the very highest level. Loibenberg is a dramatic, steep vineyard rising above the Danube near Dürnstein, one of the warmest sites in the Wachau. Its south facing terraces soak up heat, while cooling night air from the river preserves freshness. The soils are a complex mix of primary rock, gneiss and loess, giving power, structure and that unmistakable Wachau mineral depth.

The Knoll family is inseparable from Wachau history. Emmerich Knoll has become an icon, instantly recognisable not just for the famous label artwork but for wines of authority, longevity and uncompromising character. Farming is meticulous, yields are low, and patience is central to the philosophy. Loibenberg sits at the top of the Grüner hierarchy here, classified as Smaragd, meaning full ripeness, concentration and serious ageing potential.

The aromatics are deep and layered rather than flashy. Ripe pear, yellow apple and stone fruit sit alongside fennel seed, white pepper and dried herbs. With air, more savoury and mineral tones emerge. Crushed stone, almond skin and a faint smoky note that speaks directly of Loibenberg’s rocky terraces. There is richness, but it is tightly coiled and controlled.

On the palate, this is Grüner Veltliner with presence. The wine opens broad and powerful, showing ripe orchard fruit and subtle spice, then tightens as acidity and mineral grip take hold. The texture is dense yet precise, with a chalky phenolic edge that gives shape and length. White pepper and savoury herbal notes build through the mid palate, finishing long, dry and resonant with lingering stone fruit and wet rock character.

This is a serious food wine and a serious cellar candidate. It is superb with Wiener schnitzel, roast pork, veal, rich seafood or dishes with spice and texture. While it can be enjoyed young with decanting, it truly shines with time. Over ten to twenty years it will develop deeper savoury complexity, honeyed nuance and an almost Burgundian depth while retaining its Wachau freshness and drive.

Emmerich Knoll Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner is powerful, structured and unmistakably site driven. A collector level Grüner and one of Austria’s great white wines.