Prager Wachstum Bodenstein Riesling

Riesling Wachstum Bodenstein Smaragd bottle image

Wine Description

Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.

Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.

Wachstum, meaning “Growth” or “Cru,” is a nursery for Toni Bodenstein who planted 25 different nursery clones of Riesling 460 meters in elevation at the top of Hinter Seiber. When planted in 1990, the goal of Wachstum Bodenstein was to preserve biodiversity. First produced in 1993, it is now one of Prager’s most sought-after wines.

Prager Vineyards
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Acclaim
“The unique climatic situation of the highest altitude riesling vineyard in the Wachau (460 meters above sea level) in the warm 2017 vintage has resulted in astonishing aromatic complexity - from apples to pineapples via blackberries and peaches - and tremendous vitality that has produced a very long, leaping and bounding finish.”
— James Suckling, Oct 2018
“Multidimensional, with one layer emerging after another. A wave of white peach and roasted pineapple flavors leads the way to the spice and chamomile notes, followed by an intense saltiness from minerality. All the elements are connected by a vivid structure that gives this focus. Seamless from start to finish, this imparts lots of pleasure now, but give it a few more years.”
— Wine Spectator, Nov 2018
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Wachstum Bodenstein (Ried Hinter Seiber)
Vineyard size
2 acres
Soil composition
Paragneiss
Elevation:
1,509 feet
Vines/acre:
2,720
Yield/acre:
1.6 tons
Exposure:
Southern
Year vineyard planted:
1990
Harvest time:
November
First vintage of this wine:
1993
Bottles produced of this wine:
3,200
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
35 days
Fermentation temperature:
64 °F
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of aging before bottling:
7 months
Length of bottle aging:
2 months
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Analytical Data
No relevant data were found.