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| Country: | Austria |
| Region: | Wachau |
| Winery: | Rudi Pichler |
| Grape Type: | Gruner Veltliner |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2022 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
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.
Review:
“A stunning wine for this grape that is also rather easy to understand. The Reine Claude plum and peppery nose is complex, but already charming. As exciting as the simultaneously creamy and succulent mid-palate is, what makes this medium- to full-bodied gruner veltliner really stand out is the extremely long, crushed rock finish.”
James Suckling 96 Points
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.
Weingut Rudi Pichler consists of 37 acres spread between Wösendorf, Joching, Weißenkirchen, and Mautern. Wösendorf and Joching lie in the heart of the Wachau Valley where south-facing terraces look down at the Danube River. Here, rieden such as Kirchweg, Hochrain, and Kollmütz are marked by occasional deposits of loess over base rock. Rudi produces crystal-clear expressions of Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and Weißburgunder from these sites. Directly east of Joching is Weißenkirchen, home to the famous rieden of Steinriegl and Achleithen, two distinctive Riesling sites with calcareous and weathered gneiss, respectively. Rudi also maintains a small vineyard of Roter Veltliner across the river in Mautern.
“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. The resulting wines are pure, dense, and taut with energy.
Castellare di Castellina 'I Sodi di San Niccolo' Toscana IGT is a blend of Sangioveto (85%-90%) and Malvasia nera (15-10%)
Castellare’s top wine, ranked in the Wine Spectator Top 100 on multiple occasions and recognised with the prestigious Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri and Bidenda’s Cinque Grappoli ratings. The company takes great pride in demonstrating the greatness of the Sangioveto variety, paired with Malvasia Nera, achieving a worldwide position of sixth place.
Pairs well with cold cuts and meat rich in flavour, cheeses with a strong and aromatic taste, in particular, Pecorino Toscano and Parmigiano.
The masterpiece of Castellare, I Sodi di San Niccolo, has twice placed in the top 100 of Wine Spectator, and has been awarded “Three Glasses” by Il Gambero Rosso.
I Sodi di San Niccolo is produced solely with native varieties: 85-90% of Sangioveto and 10-15% of Malvasia Nera, I Sodi comes from the two best crus of the farm.
The word "I Sodi" was used by the Tuscan farmers to describe those grounds which had to be processed by hand, being too hard (in fact firm) or too steep to allow for the employment of the horses, unlike the "fields" that make the grounds more easily cultivable.
Reviews:
Clear ruby with a fine garnet sheen. Impressive nose, very finely drawn, aromas of juicy cherries, blood orange and dried thyme, some liquorice in the background. Polished and precise from the attack to the finish, finely-meshed, very well-integrated tannins, flows beautifully, finely worked out fruit, long finish.
-Falstaff 97 Points
Complex and deeply embedded aromas of ripe blackberries, spices and aromatic bark. Full-bodied and very firm for now, with impressive concentration of fruit and tannin. Very long, balanced finish. Great to taste now, but this is one for the cellar. Patience will be rewarded. Sangiovese and malvasia nera. This has always been a top Tuscan red. Best from 2027.
- James Suckling 96 Points
Super fragranced nose, patchouli, pot pourri, Turkish Delight, rose with caramelised red berries and a touch of smoke and incense - all quiet forward and expressive. The nose alone you could smell for hours such is its complexity and beguiling nature. Powerful and concentrated on the palate, this is broad and muscular, sinewy with depth and determination. Tannins are well integrated, really giving the support to the fruit and acidity, driving the flavours forward despite the clear weight and hold. Fragranced red berries continue on the palate with a touch of stone, graphite and matchstick. Rich and big on the mid palate, becoming more focussed towards the finish. Cleary well made with lots going on. Acidity is great, it's cool, clean, sleek and packed full of flavour. Almost too much, this is a big wine, so needs time, but has lots of appeal and mouthwatering freshness throughout. Released on the 9th March. Director and winemaker Alessandro Cellai.
- Decanter 96 Points
Dense purple hues, with evocative aromas of black cherries, ripe plums, nectarines, boysenberry, wild bramble and exotic oak spice. The juicy and sweet-fruited palate entry, combined with crunchy tannins, lures one into a sense of overtness, yet the wine is sublimely elegant and poised. The complex layers of fruit is in perfect harmony with the oak, all bound together by a lively seam of acidity. The finish is pleasantly dry and savory, with lingering notes of Christmas cake and vanilla pod.
Pair with barbequed meats, especially venison and beef / bobotie / lamb curry / seared tuna / spicy Asian-styled cuisine / aromatic curries / duck with sweet plum sauce / beef or lamb burgers / pizza
Review:
"A full-bodied and brooding wine. Precisely balanced with red cherries, blueberries, coffee, and chocolate with silky tannins and refreshing sour cherry acidity. Serious pedigree here."
- Decanter WWA 2021, 96 points and Gold Medal
Domaine Chavy Chouet Meursault Les Narvaux is made from 100% Chardonnay from extremely steep vineyards.
Les Narvaux in Meursault sits at the top of the slope on a steep, shallow, limestone plot.
TW Tasting notes: A lively and balanced wine with aromas of white-fleshed fruit. It offers hints of toasted almond on the nose and is very long on the palate. Mineral and energetic, it will only open up fully after a few years in the cellar. In the top 5 of my top Meursault picks.
60 Year old vine
Ageing: 12 months in French oak barrels (20% new)Planting density: 10000
Surface area: 0.5Ha
Deep color of violet and black tones. On the nose, it shows aromas of black tea, violets, blueberries and dark berries. It presents freshness, fine grain tannins and minerality on the palate.
GRAPE
100% Nebbiolo
VINEYARD
Serra Capelli and San Cristoforo hills
POSITION
Hillside
EXPOSURE
Southwest
COLOR
Garnet red
NOSE
Its bouquet is fruity with reminiscences of violets and raspberries
TASTE
Full, fascinating and intense taste with a good body.
TEMPERATURE
Ideal serving temperature is 16°- 18°C. Do not expose to abrupt changes in temperature. Its fragrance and scents are highlighted if put into a crystal decanter and then poured into crystal stemware with a large bowl. Swirl it around the glass to finally taste and appreciate it
ALCOHOL
13.5 - 14 %
Patricia Raquin Nuits St. Georges les Vaucrains is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
"Vaucrains" comes from old French word meaning place with very little fertility (which is very good terroir for grape production)
Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC: AOC wines since 1936, 757 acres of grapes, 97 % red wine, 3 % white wine. Nuits refers to “walnuts in the area, not night”….41 Premier Cru vineyards
Tasting Notes: Powerfull aromas with lots red wild fruits, full bodied wine with great aging potential.
VINEYARD: Gravel and Silt
HARVEST: Harvest by hand.
VINIFICATION: Harvest by hand. Traditional vinification in thermoregulated stainless steel. Pre-fermentation – temperature controlled cold maceration during 10 days. Long fermentation during which pigeages and pumping over are performed. Post-fermentation - maceration at 30°C for 5 days.
AGEING: Aged in new French oak barrels for 16 months.
Roast lamb - Rib steaks - duck
Rudi Pichler Kollmutz Smaragd Gruner Veltliner is made from 100 percent Gruner Veltliner.
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.
Kollmütz is a terraced vineyard in Wösendorf sitting between 200 and 400 meters of elevation. The soils of Kollmütz developed from an ancient landslide resulting in chaotic layers of rock and boulders. The vineyard is particularly rich in magnesium and iron. Wines from Kollmütz are typically linear, dense, and intensely mineral in character.
Grüner Veltliner is the signature grape of Austria and produces a dry white wine with savory aromas, spicy flavors, and good acidity. Grüner Veltliner Smaragd from the Wachau is a full-bodied wine and is rich in style with notes of stone fruit, lemon, radish, and arugula.
Review:
I have heard gruner veltliner dismissed for supposedly not being elegant, but this is an extremely elegant example! Very complex nose of snow peas, green beans, wild herbs and green pepper. On the medium-bodied palate, this remarkable gruner veltliner has a discreet succulence, but what makes it amazing is the way it glides so gracefully over the palate, then splash lands in a deep pool of wet stone minerality. Underplayed power and concentration!
-James Suckling 97 Points
Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.
Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.
Zwerithaler is a sub-site of Buschenberg and sits to the east of Weißenkirchen. The name Zwerithaler, meaning "nestled between the valleys," is a near monopole of Weingut Prager. It has a complex soil of paragneiss with alternating layers of dark and calcareous rock. Zwerithaler Kammergut is a 0.34-hectare parcel planted before WWI. The wine from these ungrafted, 100-year-old vines was bottled separately by Prager for the first time in 2015.
Light greenish yellow, silver reflections. Fine savory, delicate nuances of anise, tobacco notes, delicate yellow fruit, a touch of mango and honey blossom. Full-bodied, juicy white apple fruit, well-integrated, silky acidity structure, finesse and long persistence, saline finish, lingers for minutes, Veltliner at its best.
-Falstaff 99 Points
"The aromas of this old-vine gruner veltliner leap out and shake you to the core. Full-bodied and full of weighty and balanced layers of papayas, mangoes, nectarines, chives, white tea and oranges. Fantastic concentration, giving so much pleasure already, but it will keep blossoming if you give it time. From vines planted in 1907. Sustainable. Drink or hold."
-James Suckling 98 Points
Wachau Riesling is dry and often defined by high levels of dry extract (due to a lengthy ripening period) and a pleasing freshness (due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night). Sedimentary soils of sand and stone give Kirchweg Riesling a dense mineral texture and fine fruity flavors.
Review:
I love the deep and delicate, peachy nose of this extremely attractive Wachau dry riesling. Wonderful fresh fruit with a touch of mint and lemon balm on the ripe but rather sleek and very precise palate. The power and concentration show themselves first at the stunningly long and pristine finish.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Ruttenstock Gruner Veltliner Ried Reipersberg DAC is 100% Gruner Veltliner.
The wine offers a touch of pear, spice and dried fruit aromas on the nose, and exotic fruit characters.
Minerality emerges from the primary rock soils, followed by an elegant and lively finish.
Pairs well with chicken and pork dishes.
Hugl Rosselberg Horse Hill Gruner Veltliner is made from 100% Grüner Veltliner
A powerful, very ripe Grüner Veltliner, intense and full-bodied with a long finish.
The ripe grapes are processed very gently with 12 hours on the skins and then vinified in Stainless Steel tanks. No Oak.
A firm mineral backbone, gives it the strength of character to work well with many cuisines.
Leindl Gruner Veltliner Seeberg Kamptal is made form 100 percent Gruner Veltiner. Medium yellow green. Fine yellow apple fruit, delicate hint of quince and honey, candied orange zest, highly attractive bouquet. Juicy, good complexity, extract core sweet, silky texture, fine acidity bow, fine and salty minerality, great length, secure aging potential, a very finesse Veltliner-style.
Review:
"Here’s a wonderfully cool and elegant Gruner Veltliner with mountain freshness that makes it very enticing. Medium-bodied and quite sleek, but with a touch of marzipan richness on the mid-palate, then a stunning wet-stone freshness in the long and polished finish. Drink or hold. - Stuart PIGOTT"
- James Suckling (October 10th 2024), 95 pts
Long Shadows Chester Kidder is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah and 15% Petit Verdot
Allen Shoup named this wine in honor of his mother, Elizabeth Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder. He selected Long Shadows' director of winemaking and viticulture, Gilles Nicault, to craft this New World blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and other classic Bordeaux varieties.
Select Cabernet Sauvignon lots underwent an extended maceration of 40 days to produce supple yet firm tannins that stand up to 30 months of barrel aging in tight-grained French oak barrels (85% new). The extra time in barrel helped to integrate the fruit, enhance the mid-palate with an extra layer of complexity, and provide an appealing earthiness to the finish.
Review:
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2017 Chester Kidder is another more closed, reserved wine that's loaded with potential. Cassis, toasted spices, violets, and leafy herb notes give way to a rich, full-bodied red that has ripe, velvety tannins, a rounded, mouth-filling texture, and one heck of a great finish. Give bottles 3-5 years if you can and it should be very long lived.
-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
Post & Beam by Far Niente Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
Post & Beam Pinot Noir, crafted with the same care and expertise that defines Far Niente Wine Estates, is sourced from the Sonoma Coast's cool, coastal vineyards. This wine offers vibrant acidity, expressive fruit, and nuanced complexity, with aromas of ripe red fruit and a hint of spice. The smooth, balanced palate finishes with elegance, making it perfect for backyard get-togethers.