Prager Smaragd Klaus Riesling is made from 100 percent Riesling.
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.
Klaus sits adjacent to Achleiten and is one of the Wachau’s most famous vineyards for Riesling. The vineyard is incredibly steep with a gradient of 77% at its steepest point. The southeast-facing terraced vineyard of dark migmatite-amphibolite and paragneiss produces a tightly wound and powerful wine. The parcel belonging to Toni Bodenstein was planted in 1952.
Tasting Notes:
Austrian Riesling is often defined by elevated levels of dry extract thanks to a lengthy ripening period and freshness due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night. “Klaus is not a charming Riesling,” says Toni Bodenstein with a wink. Klaus is Prager’s most assertive and robust Riesling.
Food Pairing
Riesling’s high acidity makes it one of the most versatile wines at the table. Riesling can be used to cut the fattiness of foods such as pork or sausages and can tame some saltiness. Conversely, it can highlight foods such as fish or vegetables in the same way a squeeze of lemon or a vinaigrette might.
Review:
What a stunning example of cool climate riesling. It’s full-bodied and deep, but so cool and delicate, packing in sleek layers of honeysuckle, apricots, lemons and grapefruit married to thyme and crushed rock. So long and seamless, with tension and focus that just keeps going. Sustainable. Try from 2025.
-James Suckling 98 Points
The color is a brilliant straw yellow with a fresh fruit perfumes, especially apple and pear, and floral notes such as elder and bloom. The taste is very fresh and light, with a very interesting acidity. There is an important presence of mineral salts due to the volcanic origin of the soil.
Open pergola Vinification: Destemming, maceration of the grapes in the must for 12 hours, racking and long fermentation at 18 °C
Ideal as aperitif, light main courses such as pasta and risotto, shell fish and fish, soups and vegetables.
Review:
Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors. 91 Point Beverage Tasting Institue
The color is a brilliant straw yellow with a fresh fruit perfumes, especially apple and pear, and floral notes such as elder and bloom. The taste is very fresh and light, with a very interesting acidity. There is an important presence of mineral salts due to the volcanic origin of the soil.
Open pergola Vinification: Destemming, maceration of the grapes in the must for 12 hours, racking and long fermentation at 18 °C
Ideal as aperitif, light main courses such as pasta and risotto, shell fish and fish, soups and vegetables.
Review:
Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors. 91 Point Beverage Tasting Institue
Sourced from a vineyard at 505 metres above sea level in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, the wine takes its name from the site it is located on. The soils are primarily composed of depleted limestone in the subsoil and pebbles on the topsoil. These types of soils offer long-ageing capacity, freshness, volume and structured wines.
Fresh, structured and complex, this wine is very aromatic, with intense aromas of wild black fruits, accompanied by deep balsamic aromas and licorice. A silky texture and mineral notes, it is round, powerful and polished on the palate with flavors of black fruits, prunes, balsamic and spice. A long and persistent finish.
Meat and game, either grilled, baked or stewed, pastes, creams and soups, all kind of meat recipes, roast lamb.
Review:
"Dark plums, wild berries, dried herbs and warm earth with sweet spices and discreet vanilla creaminess interwoven to the nose. A medium-to full-bodied tempranillo with chalky, calculated tannins and vivid acidity. Lively, with a bright core of fruit on the center-palate and a flavorful, spicy finish. Naturally concentrated, but extremely drinkable, too. Long and bright. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (September 9th 2022), 95 pts
Proidl Gruner Veltliner Ried Hausberg Kremstal DAC is made from 100 percent Gruner Veltliner.
Medium yellow green colour with silver reflections. Ripe tropical fruits, a bit of candied clementines, a bit of apricot, dark minerality, inviting bouquet. Juicy, elegant, fine acidity, mineral and salty, a touch of yellow apples, lingers long, versatile.
Review:
"Medium yellow green colour with silver reflections. Ripe tropical fruits, a bit of candied clementines, a bit of apricot, dark minerality, inviting bouquet. Juicy, elegant, fine acidity, mineral and salty, a touch of yellow apples, lingers long, versatile. - Peter MOSER"
- Falstaff (April 21st 2023, Kremstal DAC Cup 2023), 92 pts
Proidl Gruner Veltliner Rameln Kremstal DAC is made from Gruner Veltliner.
Proidl Senftenberg Gruner Veltliner RAMELN Kremstal DACBright yellow green colour with silver reflections. Fine tobacco savouriness, a bit of blossom honey, a hint of guava and pear touch, tangerine zest in the echo. Juicy, powerful, a bit tobacco, a touch of tropical fruits on the finish, mineral and salty in the aftertaste, a good food wine
Review:
"Bright yellow green colour with silver reflections. Fine tobacco savouriness, a bit of blossom honey, a hint of guava and pear touch, tangerine zest in the echo. Juicy, powerful, a bit tobacco, a touch of tropical fruits on the finish, mineral and salty in the aftertaste, a good food wine. - Peter MOSER"
- Falstaff (April 21st 2023, Kremstal DAC Cup 2023), 91 pts
Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana is 100% Syrah.
Black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure with depth and well-integrated tannins.
Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter.
Manual harvest, selection of the grapes from the "Chaillot" parcel, full clusters, fermentation in tanks for 3 weeks, daily remontage and pigeage. Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and aging on the lees for 12-18 months in barrels (new old barrels) The average age of the vines is 11 years. Yield: 25 hl/ha
Review:
"Dark purple. Highly perfumed, oak-spiced black and blue fruits, incense, vanilla and potpourri on the hugely perfumed nose, along with hints of licorice, smoked meat and mocha. Stains the palate with concentrated, spice-laced blueberry, cassis, cherry-vanilla and espresso flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Broad, polished tannins add shape to a strikingly long, smoke- and spice-driven finish that strongly echoes the floral and blue fruit notes. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2022), 97 pts
Jean Arthaud Bourgogne Blanc is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Located in the south of the Mâconnais region, the Pouilly Fuissé AOP covers four communes Its patchwork of Climats produces white wines that are well suited to fine cuisine. Our Pouilly Fuissé comes from vines nestling between the Roche de Solutré and the Roche de Vergisson. It combines the firm crispness created by the limestone soils with the smoothness derived from the more clay rich soils to produce a well rounded wine.
Fruity aromas of peaches, lemons and Granny Smith apples interwoven with lighter notes of jasmine and acacia Mineral and buttery overtones subtly round off the bouquet.