External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.7 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 37 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by isaacjamesbaker on 2/25/2024 flawed bottle: Riesling bash at CHIKO (Chevy Chase, Maryland): What a shame! Two bottles of this wine were badly corked. Sad that it was stored so long when it never had a shot. (228 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 4/21/2022: Wine and Food Vacation…Finally!; 4/18/2022-4/21/2022: Full yellow. First intense dried peach, then some petrol and citrus. Medium weight, not nearly as dense as many Smaragd wines. An initial suggestion of some residual sugar, but then it became more lean and tight, following the evolution of the nose. Excellent, energetic, complex, and nowhere near over the hill. (898 views) | | | Tasted by fitzi on 10/6/2020: This was my last bottle of 10, and pretty good it was: best quite cool, near refrigerator temperature. Some classic steely acidity, mild sweetness, ample body for a Riesling-based wine not from Alsace or Australia.
This was probably the best bottle of the 10 for me, but, overall, I haven't been much taken with this wine, which is puzzling, given its reputation, and my other experience of Teutonic Riesling, in general. Maybe I drank them all too young? (622 views) | | | Tasted by fitzi on 4/18/2020: This seems tired on its own, out of the bottle. Pleasant still with an omelet over brown rice and miso broth, but not what I'd expect from a Riesling varietal with this wine's reputation at age 16, either in depth or complexity. Maybe Austrian Rieslings are more delicate and demure, less robust than examplars from Germany and Australia. We'll see where this bottle goes from here. (483 views) | | | Tasted by fitzi on 7/11/2018: Bit of spritz in this bottle, but no apparent degradation of the wine. Dry now, tangy; pleasant Riesling intensity in the novocaine style (numbs your gums). Good with French-style mussels, a scintillating titch of fruit flavor creeps in behind the initial impact of the wine's dryness. Vaguely calls to mind Trimbach cuvée Friedrick Emile, but more austere. A solid well-bred teutonic dry Riesling. Pleasant after-meal buzz, akin to that of a good Chablis. (1061 views) | | | Tasted by fitzi on 4/8/2018: Good bottle, well along, but no signs of oenous dementia. Slightly round in texture, with slight hints of residual sugar. Refined, refreshing acidity. A good bottle, a good Riesling. (774 views) | | | Tasted by fitzi on 2/20/2018: I lost these in the cellar for quite a long time, perhaps too long. The bottle opened this evening showed extremely dry, very intense, with the very merest suspicion of past residual sugar, good impact, and the wine's original delicacy. No more fruit flavors, per se, than the previous bottle, but perhaps I've skipped over that stage.
While I detect no signs of excessive age, on the one hand, there's not a lot of flesh on these bones. I've encountered a similar profile in other Austrian Riesling, e.g., Nigl Privat, but they've eventually unfolded to show engaging depth, complexity, and flavor. Not seeing that here. Maybe a second visit this evening will reveal more. (770 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 10/10/2016 & rated 92 points: Lovely nose of cumquats, water chestnuts and grapefruit. This has aged well with mouth-watering acidity and delicious flavors of grapefruit and chalky minerals. It's bone-dry and very fresh for a 12-yr old wine with good intensity along with notes of lime and mint. Finishes crisp and complex with a nice succulent crunch. This is what aged Austrian Riesling is supposed to taste like! (1044 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 12/23/2015: Golden/orange. Dried peach and some oxidative notes, but this freshened with air and took on a more herbal tone. Full bodied, classic dry Riesling flavors-tea, stone fruit, and the higher pitched herbs. Completely dry and chiseled. Perhaps not as profound as previous bottles and more advanced in color and aromas. (1183 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 9/20/2015: Medium yellow. Fantastic array of herbs, peach, and distilled tones on the nose. Full but very precise due to screaming acidity. Long, mineral finish. Remarkably similar to a note from 3 years ago. On a steamy evening, we reached for the bottle with the most acidity and raciness we could find. This filled the bill magnificently. (1082 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 5/27/2015 & rated 92 points: Darkening gold color. Beautiful nose of grapefruit, aged lemon and green minerals. This has really improved ovr the last couple of years and now seems in full bloom with delicious, crisp flavors of apple, pear and spice. Perfect mouth-watering acidity keeps this fresh and juicy and it turns complex and rich on the finish with notes of lime, mint and minerals. This is classic Austrian Riesling with some nice age on it. (1157 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 3/2/2014 & rated 90 points: Really fragrant nose of limes, grapefruits and fresh cut grass. Deliciously ripe fruit flavors with strong notes of grapefruit and grass. Good intensity here with fresh acidity to balance the ripeness. The finish is complex with mineral notes of limestone and flint. Well done but perhaps my only complaint is it's just straight down the middle without any special character. Still, this has aged beautifully and has a ways to go. 90+ (1571 views) | | | Tasted by sawira on 5/27/2013 & rated 95 points: Pale yellow, a bit spritzy at first. Beautifully complex nose of far away salt water taffy overlaying chalky lemons, with hints of vanilla, honey and sweet white tropical flowers emerging - even wafts of smokiness after a while. The palate leads with blazing, mouth-puckering lemons before giving way to a crescendoing kaleidoscopic blast of granite sprinkled grapefruit on the tail end. By the end, all I kept saying, inadvertantly, was "wow." This is a palate tester with subtleties galore, and should have a warning label that reads "Profound, yet subtle. Focused attention required." Or "This is a 'Kubla Khan/Atlas Shrugged' type of wine and is probably not for everyone." 95pts pure quality, 98 pts personal preference. (1498 views) | | | Tasted by mike l. on 4/23/2013 & rated 88 points: disappointing at $60. there is some classic rubber band on the nose and the palate (!) but it's awkward and a bit flat at this point. the acidity wasn't as pronounced as others on here are saying. this was a very well-cellared bottle so i dont think that's the problem. (1444 views) | | | Tasted by christophee on 4/20/2013 & rated 84 points: Clear with medium viscosity in the glass. Terpene, honey and tropical fruit on the nose. Lite body and modest on the palate. Mostly honey, melon rhine and tropical fruit with secondary terpene sneaking in. Meek backbone. Short finish. Good quality, but uninspiring and couldn't hold up to Thai pairing. (1312 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 9/29/2012 flawed bottle: Not what I'd expect from this; slightly honeyed and oxidative with the flavors lacking precision and focus; seems like an off bottle. (1854 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 8/22/2012: Moderately deep yellow. Low toned floral aroma with citrus, peach and crushed herbs. Fantastic interplay of completely dry fruit and layered, glycerine feel. Roaring, powerful finish of tart, lemony goodness and a ton of stone-those not seeking acidity and stone need not apply. The "bitter pit" note mentioned by brooklynguy several years ago is also right on the mark. In short, this just gets the juices flowing. Fantastic and based on my experience with Austrian Riesling, it has the potential to improve for at least another decade. (1670 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Levenberg on 4/24/2012 & rated 97 points: This is showing better now than ever. Its complexion has deepened to a bold yellow with a commensurate uptick of richness and density to the fruit, and yet it's even more chiseled and precise - every sip feels like it's cut from stone. (3582 views) | | | Tasted by fitzi on 1/2/2012: Rather fine, precise, detailed. Not getting a ton of actual flavor, mostly just intense citrus; but very pretty, twinkling acidity and, with air time, a touch of earthy breadth and a hint of depth. Not finding much 'power' in the wine, but feel this is still quite a baby and will develop interestingly for some time to come. (1802 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Levenberg on 9/14/2011 & rated 95 points: Steinertal Vertical (Seasonal): Another winning bottle of this, and still very fresh. The fruit is just as bright as the newer vintages but it's starting to show just a touch more character and precision - it's packed with sharp, prickly rocks. (3165 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 9/14/2011 & rated 95 points: Steinertals at Seasonal (Seasonal, NYC): An amazing showing, and I'm annoyed I drank all my bottles last summer with zero willpower. This is developing superbly, a confluence of green herbs, spice, mineral and fresh fruit in a seamless package with just the start of developing smoky flavours. Still young, but so, so good. (2511 views) | | | Tasted by Vino Me on 9/11/2011 & rated 92 points: Brought my only bottle to Mark's house to drink before dinner. This was even better than when I had it at the winery in 2005. Pale straw color. The sharpness and acids that were so prevalent in 2005 had smoothed out but this wine still had a sharp focus. This wine has put on some depth since I last had it. Delightful to drink with notes of pear and a fine minerality. 92 points. (1302 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 5/11/2011 & rated 91 points: Full bodied with an oily texture and gripping acidity. Very intense on the finish with lovely floral and mineral complexity. Not quite at the top level of the best Smaragd's I've tasted but very close. (1391 views) | | | Tasted by brooklynguy on 10/15/2010: vivid and utterly lovely aromas of flowers and stone fruit. clear that it is a special wine just from smelling. at first it doesn't seem to live up to the promise of the nose, as the midpalate depth takes a little time to emerge, but 90 minutes in it is a gorgeous and complete wine, with an intriguing bitter pit note on the finish that adds complexity. (1678 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 9/3/2010 & rated 92 points: Awesome as ever. Rich fruits, touches of smoky and honeyed notes hinting at some development and a bed of stone underneath it all. Gets better with air as the aromatics expand and this gains richness and depth in the mouth. (1614 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Alzinger Producer website
Leo Alzinger is located in Unterloiben, just across the street from Knoll. Leo owns parcels in two of the great vineyards in this part of the river valley: Loibenberg and Steinertal. Loibenberg is a towering, terraced hillside, while the diminutive (5.5 hectare) Steinertal is hidden and maintains a cooler micro-climate. On the terraced vineyards of both sites, riesling is cultivated on the higher, more primary rock rich parcels while grüner veltliner is cultivated on the lower, silty, loess based parcels.
Harvest at Alzinger happens later than some of Leo’s neighbors in Unterloiben, something he attributes to old vines and the specific exposition of his parcels. The extra time on the vine doesn’t increase sugar levels, Leo says, but rather pushes physiological ripeness to greater balance. Alzinger crushes whole cluster with a short maceration, then allows the must to settle for 24 hours, dropping any green tannins out. Tasting the wines next to some of the other Wachau greats, it becomes apparent that elegance and pristine fruit is what Leo looks for in winemaking, rather than opulence. Alzinger’s wines are never forceful or assertive; they are instead amazingly sanguine and calmly transparent. Terry says “You wouldn’t be surprised if the cellar master was the Dali Lama”.
Vineyard area: 11 hectares
Top sites: Loibenberg, Steinertal, Liebenberg
Soil types: Eroded primary rock, sandy soils with loam
Grape varieties: 55% Grüner Veltliner, 40% Riesling, 5% ChardonnayRiesling Varietal character (Appellation America) | A short history of Riesling (Uncork) | Riesling (wikipedia)Smaragd Wikipedia about Smaragd (german)
Google translation in English of the German Wikipedia about Smagard
From what I understand, these wines (very ripe, dry, late-harvest, etc.) were going to be designated Honivogl (after a kind of bird found in or near the vineyards, meaning 'honey bird'. However, the Honivogl family was involved in the wine trade in Austria and objected that this would cause confusion and weakening of their trademark. Another creature was therefore selected (the green lizard called Smaragd) to be the mascot (sort of ) for this kind of wine in the Wachau. Source: Dr. Peter Ruhrberg, Saarbrücken, personal communication, 9/2007. jhtSteinertalSteinertal
Facts:
Town:Steinertal
Insolation in hours per year:2087
Size in ha:5,61Terraced vineyard:Yes
Aspect:South
Slope gradient:Up to 64 %
Altitude:231 - 298 m
Description
Seen from the east, the Steinertal is the first steep vineyard of the wine region. The view also reveals the trench character of this vineyard, as suggested by the old name "Steingraben" (stony trench), forming an amphitheatre with an open view of the winescape of the Wachau region.
Soil profile

The geological substratum of the Steinertal vineyard is entirely composed of carbonate-free, acidic Gföhl gneiss (orthogneiss). The glacial loess cover has long been eroded, so that carbonate minerals such as calcite and dolomite (""limestone"") are only found in very low concentrations in the soil.
The topsoil is sandy, meagre and low in humus. At a pH level of 7.5, the soil falls within the weakly alkaline range.
The native Gföhl gneiss is already marked by weathering. The surfaces are coated with reddish-brown iron oxides. Cracks and joints are filled with fine, washed-in soil material. The vine roots penetrate deep into the rock through these cracks.
On weinlagen-infoAustria Wein aus Österreich (Österreichischen Weinmarketinggesellschaft) | Austrian Wine Classifications (Winemonger.com)Niederösterreich Weinstraße Niederösterreich
Lower Austria Wine Region
Lower Austria isn't "southern" Austria, but rather northeastern. It derives its name from its downriver location on the Danube River, which flows from west to east.Wachau Official tourism website
on weinlagen-info |
|
