Prager Achleiten Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner Ried Achleiten Smaragd bottle image

Wine Description

When Franz Prager co-founded the Vinea Wachau in 1983, he had already established a reputation as one of Austria’s best winemakers. The marriage of Franz’s daughter, Ilse, to Dr. Toni Bodenstein in the 1990s was the catalyst for sweeping renaissance at the winery. Bodenstein, a biologist, geologist and historian, spent years studying the geology of the region and focused much of his attention on preserving genetic diversity. His “Arche Noah” project, a planting of old Grüner Veltliner and Riesling clones is the result of his work. Bodenstein’s scholarly approach, passion for biodiversity, and brilliant winemaking has elevated Prager to the highest echelon of Austrian wine producers.

Achleiten is one of Austria's greatest vineyards and is known for producing wines with a distinctive mineral character. Achleiten sits near the town of Weissenkirchen with steep terraces that face the Danube between 200 and 400 meters of elevation. The vineyard has very little top soil with various Gneiss in its parent rock. The name Achleiten comes from the Latin "Ach" (aqua) and "Leiten" meaning a conduct for water. Wines from Achleiten have a signature aroma and flavor of flint, smoke and minerals.

Prager Vineyards
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Acclaim
“Surely the aromatic intensity, diversity and allure here owe something not only to long hang time but also to the inclusion of fruit from the steep, terraced slopes of Liebenberg, Weitenberg and Zwerithaler, each of which would nowadays in a normal vintage claim a Prager Smaragd bottling to itself. I wouldn’t rule out, either, that 11.5% alcohol is not just responsible for a lovely sense of buoyancy but possibly also permits a more refined and intricate aromatic expression. You get an entire field of grasses, herbs and flowers in the nose, accompanied by snap pea, pear, and ineffable suggestions of things mineral. Satiny in texture and infectiously juicy, this bottling doesn’t quite live up in its finish to what it offers up front. But pear skin, pea tendril and lemon oil lend piquant stimulation to accompany delicate echoes of herbs, flowers and stones.”
— Vinous, Feb 2016
“Luscious and full of rich flavors of pineapple, pear and green peach that feature notes of white pepper and spice. Ripe citrus elements linger on the smoky finish.”
— Wine Spectator, Nov 2015
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
The Achleiten vineyard
Vineyard size
4 acres
Soil composition
Gneiss and Schist
Elevation:
830-1,030 feet
Vines/acre:
2,960
Yield/acre:
1.6 tons
Exposure:
Southern / Southwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1952-1958
Harvest time:
October-November
First vintage of this wine:
1955
Bottles produced of this wine:
6,500
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Grüner Veltliner
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
42 days
Fermentation temperature:
64 °F
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of aging before bottling:
7 months
Length of bottle aging:
2 month
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Analytical Data
No relevant data were found.