2024 Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau

An excellent, barely medium-bodied gruner veltliner, and a remarkable achievement for the 2024 vintage. Brimming with plum, summer-vegetable and green-pepper aromas. Beautiful balance. Sustainable. Vegan. Drink now.

92 points James Suckling

Rudi Pichler is one of Austria's most respected winemakers, widely regarded as a master of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Based in the village of Wösendorf in the Wachau, the Pichler family has farmed these steep terraced vineyards for generations, producing wines that beautifully capture the purity and precision of one of Europe's great white wine regions. Rudi's meticulous approach in both vineyard and winery has earned international acclaim, with his wines prized for their balance, mineral detail and ability to express site.

The Wachau's dramatic landscape of stone terraces, ancient gneiss soils and cooling Danube influences creates ideal conditions for Grüner Veltliner. Federspiel is the region's classic dry style, sitting between the lighter Steinfeder and the richer Smaragd classifications. The 2024 vintage delivered fruit of exceptional freshness and aromatic clarity, producing a wine that combines vibrant fruit with trademark Wachau precision.

Pale straw with bright green highlights, the bouquet reveals aromas of green apple, white peach and citrus blossom layered with Grüner's distinctive notes of white pepper, fresh herbs and crushed stone. The palate is crisp, energetic and beautifully focused, offering flavours of lime, pear and nectarine supported by lively acidity and a fine mineral thread. A subtle savoury edge adds complexity, while the finish is long, dry and refreshingly precise.

This is a superb food wine, pairing beautifully with grilled prawns, Wiener schnitzel, asparagus dishes, seafood risotto, sushi or a spring vegetable tart. Equally enjoyable as an aperitif, it showcases the freshness and versatility that have made Grüner Veltliner Austria's signature white grape.