Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner Ried Hochrain Smaragd

Grüner Veltliner Ried Hochrain 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.

Hochrain, a name meaning "high place," is a southeast-facing terraced vineyard in Wösendorf sitting between 200 and 300 meters of elevation. The vineyard consists of an unusually high content of loess, a mineral-laden soil that produces wines that are especially broad and rich.

Rudi Pichler Winery
Rudi Pichler Vineyards
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Acclaim
“Very delicate, fine and complex aromas of spicy fruit with pear blossom and slightly peppery notes. The palate has such delicate flavors of pears and white peaches with a spear of fresh citrus at the stony finish.”
— James Suckling, Dec 2019
“Shows class, with an expressive palate, featuring a complex array of ripe peach, apple, glazed pear and vanilla bean flavors. Delivers ample minerality midpalate, which joins the acidity to create a vibrant backbone. Finely balanced, presenting a long finish of mineral, cream and white chocolate.”
— Wine Spectator, Oct 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Ried Hochrain
Vineyard size
53 acres
Soil composition
Gneiss, Rocky, and Loess
Training method
Cane-pruned
Elevation:
726-1,188 feet
Vines/acre:
1,800
Exposure:
Southern
Year vineyard planted:
1970
Harvest time:
October-November
Average Vine Age:
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
Malolactic fermentation:
no
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Size of aging container:
1000-5000L
Length of aging before bottling:
7 months
Length of bottle aging:
1 month
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Analytical Data
Acidity:
5 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Residual sugar:
3.5 g/L