Rudi Pichler Smaragd Weissburgunder 2018
Type: White
Country: Austria
Region: Wachau
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Blanc
Climate: Short cold winters and a long dry growing season
Terroir: Produced from vines that are more than 40-year-old vines, planted on steep terraces covered with bedrock and gneiss soil.
Winemaking: Traditional winemaking techniques, including spontaneous fermentation and ageing in stainless steel tanks
Color: Light green-yellow, silver reflections
Nose: Aroma of delicate pear, candied orange zest, fine yellow fruit hints.
Palate: Fine interplay of fruit and acid, characterized by minerals, balanced and very refreshing
About the Winery:
Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. The cellar is based in the village of Wösendorf where generations of Pichlers have tended vines since 1731. Rudolph Pichler, III took over the winery in 1997 and has since expanded the vineyards and constructed a modern cellar in 2004.
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. He was awarded Falstaff’s Vintner of the Year in 2010.
“I’m a wine caretaker, not a winemaker,” is Rudi’s credo, placing the intensity of work in the vineyards at the foundation of his philosophy. Rudi wants vineyard and varietal expression to be as clear as possible so yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with harvest and botrytis carefully removed by hand. Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins depending on the vintage and style. “The skin has information about the specific place where it is from,” says Rudi. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided. His resulting wines are pure, dense, and taut with energy.
