Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd
2022
Weingut Alzinger is located on a magnificent stretch of the Danube 65km west of Vienna, on a majestic bend where the great river sweeps past Unterloiben in the region of Wachau. This is surely one of the most spectacular wine regions in the world, so stunningly beautiful that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which as the Alzinger website proudly proclaims, makes it “coequal to the pyramids of Giza, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China “. This is a very special...
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This juicy, charming white has aromas of sliced pears, chopped apples, juniper berries and some acacia honey. It’s full-bodied but cool and supple, with lovely fresh stone-fruit character and a light peppery touch.
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Fragrant nose of dried herb, white pepper, jackfruit and yellow kiwi fruit. It’s sleek and creamy, full-bodied, but with a lovely coolness. Exotic fruit and herb character but not rich or overpowering.
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A full-bodied yet elegant gruner veltliner that has notes of fennel, grapefruit, pear and crushed stone. Attractive herb undertones with a tannin touch on a long and textured finish
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The 2022 Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd is picked from a loess island in the mid-slope of this rather large and warm site. Harvest point here is key. Yeasty creaminess is immediately evident on the nose, while more swirling brings some pear skin and pepper. The palate delves into this yeastiness but adds lovely tension to its fluid, slightly peppery core that has some pithy concentration. This sails on but without an ounce of fat—elegant, supple and smooth
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The 2024 Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd comes from a parcel of loess atop gneiss bedrock in the midslope of the south-facing site. The nose is shy, showing just a hint of savory yeast. With more air, a touch of fern emerges. The palate offers almost a Riesling-like lightness, with direction and verve that belie the loess. There is lovely balance, slight savor and exquisite tension.
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The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd is picked in a lens of loess in this site known for its warmth, affording some water retention. Smooth, almost balm-like yeast has gentle pepper and promises richness. The palate is just as smooth and flowing, channeling its ripeness and fill into that cooling, smooth yeastiness that subsumes pepper and fruit and fills the mouth. Power and freshness become apparent in the aftertaste, which is still savory with fern and white miso. (Bone-dry)
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