Prager Riesling Achleiten Smaragd 2019

“The 2019 Ried Achleiten Riesling Smaragd is deep, pure and flinty on the concentrated and fruity yet fresh and coolish nose that reveals crushed stone and crystalline as well as concentrated stone fruit aromas. Full-bodied, lush an intense on the palate, this is a rich, dense and crystalline, vibrantly fresh Riesling with a concentrated white peach aroma and a crispy and crunchy tannin structure on the finish. Tasted at the domain in June 2021. Drink: 2021-2050. 96 points

At Prager, I could not determine that 2020 would be inferior to the 2019 vintage; on the contrary, the 2020 Smaragd wines fascinated me enormously in their clear, cool, terroir-tinged way. A 38% loss had occurred mainly because of the hail on August 22, although predominantly in the Federspiel or Riesling vineyards. There was no damage in the top vineyards such as Ried Klaus, Achleiten or Zwerithaler. “Interestingly, the vines are in agony for about two weeks after the hail. There was no more growth, no development of ripeness and sugar,” reports Toni Bondenstein. The Veltliner then recovered earlier, while even picking a Riesling Federspiel in October was still a struggle. “Why Riesling reacted more intensively to the hail, I don’t know myself either,” says Bodenstein. Whole clusters were pressed to preserve acidity and to compensate for the lower extract, and compared to 2019, the 2020s were left on their lees longer. In June, however, the 20s in particular showed outstanding early shape.”

Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (12/21)