2018 F.X. Pichler Riesling Kellerberg Smaragd
Wachau, Austria
A striking Austrian Riesling of intense complexity.
$180.00
Very concentrated and imposing – enjoy now for astonishing primary fruit or, better, wait for its full potential to be realised.
Stephen Brook (Decanter)
About This Wine
The Kellerberg vineyard is recognised as one of the premier sites for growing Riesling globally. With steep inclines and barren bedrock terraces, it faces due south to south-east with an exceptional microclimate.
Early morning sunshine, afternoon shade, and cool air currents at night, all combine to enrich the dense complexity of the fruit which grows here. Barren rocky soils, which force the vines to reach deep into the earth provide the rich mineral character for this wine, while the significant temperature difference between night and day in autumn, shapes the deep, and complex flavour profile in the resultant wine.
Exotic aromas and powerful fruit characteristics such as; ripe stone fruit, rich melon, and juicy tropical mango, are all balanced out by the searing minerality, the true hallmark of this wine.
About F.X. Pichler
Now run by the 7th generation of the Pichler family, F.X. Pichler is an iconic winery that has played a core role in shaping the perception of the Wachau wine region across the world.
After spending a number of years developing his craft and working with some of the most noted wineries across Germany and Austria, Lucas Franz Pichler returned home to the family estate in 1999.
Since taking the reins, he has expanded their holdings of exceptional single-vineyard sites from 14 to 20 ha around their winery, with an even split between Riesling and Gruner Veltliner, along with small holdings of other varietals.
They are custodians of exceptional sites, with deep rooted vines growing in a sustainable manner; from the 2022 vintage certified organic.
F.X. Pichler estate Wachau Austria
From The Producer
The Kellerberg is made up of Gföhler gneiss, a metamorphic bedrock formed from a granite-like parent rock (plutonite). Due to its southeast orientation, this prized vineyard site was historically protected from prevailing winds during the Ice Ages, resulting in deeper pockets of fine loess sediment. Erosion on the slope has naturally allowed the Ice Age sediment to integrate with Gföhler gneiss deposits, thus giving the Kellerberg its rich and bold wine styles.
The natural cultivation of the vineyards and the careful handling of winemaking with minimal intervention in processing and vinification are the basis of authentic wines. We are currently in the transitional process to become a certified organic winery from the 2022 vintage. The addition of animal products has always been, and will continue to remain, excluded with our wines. Therefore, our wines are certified vegan and verified with the V-Label of the Vegan Society of Austria.
Blend : Riesling (100%)
ABV : 13.5%
Closure : Cork
Drink Until : 2045
Bottle Size : 750ml
The 7th generation of the Pichler family
Critic Reviews
"A striking wine that has such intensity, length and complexity, yet somehow manages to deliver a very elegant, pure and focused style. Aromas of ripe stone fruit, white flowers, spice and freshly picked herbs lead to a palate that has a vivid stream of minerals, swathed in ripe peaches and mangoes and coursing through the finish. Impressive in every respect. Drink or hold." Nick Stock (James Suckling)
"The 2018 Ried Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd opens with an intensely fruity but coolish, piquant and spicy bouquet of crushed stones, potted ginger and other veggies. Very clear and precise. Lush and intense on the palate, with a remarkably vivacious acidity, this is a dense and concentrated, quite rich and fleshy but refined and very elegant as well as refreshing Kellerberg with good phenolic grip on the finish. Tasted at the domain in September 2019." Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate)
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