Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner Federspiel

Grüner Veltliner Federspiel bottle image

Wine Description

Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner. Rudi Pichler belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex.

Weingut Rudi Pichler consists of 37 acres spread between Wösendorf, Joching, and Weißenkirchen where south-facing terraces look down at the Danube River. Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with botrytis carefully removed by hand.  Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided.

Grüner Veltliner Federspiel comes from vineyards on the valley floor, hillsides, and upper terraces. The term Federspiel is used by members of the Vinea Wachau indicating a dry wine between 11.5 and 12.5% alcohol. 

Rudi Pichler Winery
Rudi Pichler Vineyards
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Acclaim
“The 2022 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel was harvested across 20 parcels from valley floor to high altitude. The nose is immediately savory, bold and yeasty, yet so light. While there is relative ripeness, this is utterly mouth-watering, and so appetizing in its savoriness and subtle gentleness framed by gentle phenolics.” — Vinous, Feb 2024
“The effusive Reine Claude plum, green and yellow apple aromas make this juicy medium-bodied gruner veltliner easy to enjoy, but it also has good depth for the category and lovely freshness at the crisp, properly dry finish. A cuvee from 20 vineyard sites.”
— James Suckling, Sep 2023
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Primary rock, Gneiss, and Löss
Training method
Two short horizontal canes
Elevation:
726 -1150 feet
Vines/acre:
1200-1800
Yield/acre:
55.0-65 hl/ha tons
Exposure:
Various
Harvest time:
October-November
First vintage of this wine:
1989
Bottles produced of this wine:
30,000
Average Vine Age:
12-40 years
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold soak
Time on its skins:
3-6 hours
Varietal composition:
100% Grüner Veltliner
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
No
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Size of aging container:
1000-5000L
Length of aging before bottling:
5 to 7 months
Length of bottle aging:
1 month
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.3
Acidity:
5.4 g/L
Alcohol:
12 %
Residual sugar:
1.3 g/L