Rudi Pichler Riesling Ried Kirchweg Smaragd

Riesling Ried Kirchweg Smaragd 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.

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.

Kirchweg, or “church path,” gets its name from a former path to the nearby church of St. Michael. The vineyard faces southeast and rises gently towards the bottom of Hochrain. Rudi Pichler’s vines are planted near the foot of Hochrain where sedimentary soils provide excellent conditions for Riesling.

Rudi Pichler Winery
Rudi Pichler Vineyards
accordion plus icons
Acclaim
Dried apricot skin and bitter quinine notes contribute to this excellent Riesling’s zesty profile and slightly grippy, full-bodied texture. Saffron, chamomile, singed thyme and smoldering minerality add to the complexity. Contemplative and delicious, this is really special. Ready to drink now, but cellaring will be rewarded. — Wine Spectator, Jun 2025
This great Wachau riesling has breathtaking concentration of stone-fruit and cassis aromas plus a deep well of minerality on the medium-bodied palate. The superclean Amalfi-lemon and wet-stone finish extends toward an infinitely distant vanishing point. — James Suckling, Nov 2024
View more acclaim Arrow Right
accordion plus icons
Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Ried Kirchweg
Vineyard size
14 acres
Soil composition
Gneiss, Rocky, and Sand
Training method
Cane-pruned
Elevation:
726-1,188 feet
Vines/acre:
1.8
Exposure:
Southern / Southwestern
Bottles produced of this wine:
2,000
Average Vine Age:
35-45 years
accordion plus icons
Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold soak
Time on its skins:
12 hours
Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
no
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of aging before bottling:
7 months
Length of bottle aging:
1 month
accordion plus icons
Analytical Data
Acidity:
5.4 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Residual sugar:
1.1 g/L