Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Smaragd

Grüner Veltliner Terrassen 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.

Weingut Rudi Pichler consists of 37 acres spread between Wösendorf, Joching, and Weißenkirchen where south-facing terraces look down at the Danube River. Terrassen indicates it is a cuvée from multiple terraced sites. Smaragd is a term used by Vinea Wachau members indicating a dry wine with a minimum alcohol of 12.5%.

Rudi Pichler Winery
Rudi Pichler Vineyards
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Acclaim
“The 2022 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Terrassen is a blend of top sites in Wösendorf and Joching, some sandy, and some on mica schist, with minimal loess. The nose opens with a white miso savoriness blended with fresh green pear flesh. A crushed sage and yeast notion coats the mouth and presents a lovely web of fine, veil-like phenolics, finishing super-savory, salty and peppery.” — Vinous, Feb 2024
“Complex nose of wild herbs, green and white pepper with a pronounced savory note. Medium- to full-bodied with lots of structure and excellent concentration, this powers its way across the palate without any feeling of heaviness. Long, bold finish with plenty of wild herb complexity. A cuvee of seven steep terraced vineyard sites.”
— James Suckling, Sep 2023
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Gneiss, Rocky, and Slate
Training method
Cane-pruned
Elevation:
726-1,188 feet
Vines/acre:
1,800
Yield/acre:
1.2-2.16 tons
Exposure:
Southern / Southwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1970-1990
Harvest time:
October-November
Bottles produced of this wine:
10,000
Average Vine Age:
22-40 years
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold soak
Time on its skins:
6-12 hours
Varietal composition:
100% Grüner Veltliner
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
14 days
Fermentation temperature:
64-72 °F
Malolactic fermentation:
no
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Size of aging container:
1000-5000 L
Length of aging before bottling:
5 months
Length of bottle aging:
1 month
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.3
Acidity:
5.3 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
Residual sugar:
2.3 g/L