2023 Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd "Ried Achleithen", Wachau, Austria

2023 Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd "Ried Achleithen", Wachau, Austria

The 2023 Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd “Ried Achleithen” is a powerful and finely delineated expression of Wachau Riesling, offering aromas of ripe lime, white peach, green apple, and grapefruit layered with notes of white flowers, crushed stone, and delicate herbal spice. The palate is concentrated yet remarkably precise, with vibrant acidity balancing the wine’s generous fruit and full-bodied texture. Pronounced slate-like minerality, citrus zest, and a subtle saline character carry through to a long, persistent finish. Combining the richness of the Smaragd classification with the freshness and tension of Achleithen’s steep, rocky terraces, this is a compelling expression of Austria’s exceptional dry Riesling tradition.

$99.99
$99.99

There are 2 units left in stock.

ABOUT THIS WINE

Produced from 100% Riesling, the 2023 “Ried Achleithen” comes from one of the Wachau’s most distinctive vineyard sites near Weissenkirchen. The extremely steep, southwest-facing terraces are planted on sparse, ancient Gföhler gneiss soils, which contribute the wine’s pronounced mineral character and focused structure. The steep slopes require meticulous vineyard work and careful hand harvesting, with repeated selection to ensure optimal fruit quality. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, preserving the purity of the Riesling fruit and the vineyard’s distinctive mineral expression. The 2023 vintage combines ripe yellow stone fruit, mandarin zest, subtle floral honey, and delicate smoky spice with a firm backbone of acidity. Classified as Smaragd, the wine represents the Wachau’s fullest-bodied style of dry white wine, balancing concentration and richness with freshness and remarkable length.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Weingut Rudi Pichler is a family-owned estate based in Wösendorf in Austria’s Wachau Valley, a region celebrated for its steep terraced vineyards and expressive white wines. Established in its modern form by Rudi Pichler, the estate has earned international recognition for producing precise, terroir-focused Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. The winery works primarily with these two varieties, alongside smaller quantities of Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner, and follows the quality classifications established by Vinea Wachau. Its philosophy emphasizes careful vineyard management, low yields, selective hand harvesting, and restrained winemaking that allows individual vineyard sites to shine. Pichler’s wines are known for their combination of concentration, mineral intensity, freshness, and aging potential. The “Ried Achleithen” Riesling is a particularly revealing example of this approach, translating the vineyard’s austere gneiss soils and dramatic hillside exposure into a wine of depth, precision, and enduring structure.

Details:

Grape(s) Riesling
Farming Organic