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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2015 and 2023 (based on 48 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.8 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 19 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by isbjoern on 11/24/2018 & rated 93 points: An absolutely brilliant Riesling Loibenberg. I really dig these lighter and mineral driven 2010s. For my palate a perfectly balanced Riesling, not overextracted, not dominated by botrytis, this is racy and very mineral - even a hint salty, with a reserved fruit of stone fruit and pears, classy white flower perfume; not very intense and not super long on the finish, but these are not necessarily feautures that characterize a good wine anyway in my opinion. Allegorically speaking this reminded me of a river that has calmed down and is now gently flowing out into the ocean. Drinking very well now and it was a great partner to the oven baked trout. One of those bottles that is empty way too soon. - 93 points (586 views) | | | Tasted by mjf@ulkner on 6/2/2018 & rated 92 points: The fruit has dimmed a bit over the past couple of years. Subdued citrus notes dominate. Plenty of fresh stony minerality remain on the finish. Past peak for my taste. (719 views) | | | Tasted by brooklynguy on 1/6/2018: I like this wine a lot, although I don’t think it’s a great wine. The nose is interesting and attractive with tropical fruit - pineapple juice, and also some darkly mineral aromas. It is a powerful nose but not entirely harmonious and without great complexity of character. Balanced on the palate, and shows good energy and density without any excess weight. Good wine, just something is missing from the overall package. (1698 views) | | | Tasted by Rani on 4/19/2016 & rated 91 points: Tasted blind. Clearly a dry style Riesling, I wasn't sure whether it was Austrian or German. Pleasant surprise, first time tasting this wine. Very mineral-driven with chalk and seashells, very fine acidity backbone, light on its feet and lacking some of the gravitas (better and worse) of German GGs. I like. (1381 views) | | | Tasted by fraundor on 8/16/2015 & rated 92 points: - Yellow color. (1685 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 6/24/2015 & rated 90 points: Pizza night with Austrians and random reds: This is a bit of a disappointment by Alzinger's standards - an excellent wine, though not quite showing the level of finesse and depth that I usually expect from Alzinger. Lots of bright, focused citrus, pear and riper peach fruit tinged with mineral and floral notes, though the palate seems rather ripe and fleshy without the cut and focus of Alzinger's other Smaragds. Time and air bring out more mineral and herbal notes, but it perhaps suffered a bit in contrast to the Prager and Jamek poured alongside. (2306 views) | | | Tasted by mdefreitas on 6/24/2015 & rated 91 points: Pizza and wines @ Salil's (Vernon, CT): Excellent wine, but suffered a bit in the company it shared tonight. Nice citrus, wet stones and orchard fruits notes, and well balanced, but not quite as "driven" as other Alzingers I've had. (1761 views) | | | Tasted by WMWG on 6/24/2015 & rated 91 points: Bright and breezy, with lemon grass, tea and an orange twinge. The body is crisp and dry with an almost spritzy energy to it. This is tightly wound and possesses good minerality on the backside, where it emerges out of the bright and airy fruit. Short on acidity on day one but it became much more concentrated on the backside on day two.
Very Good – Hold (1427 views) | | | Tasted by mjf@ulkner on 3/13/2015 & rated 94 points: Probably our WOTY thus far. Luscious ripe melon and apricot fruit, perfectly balanced with a crisp layer of mouthwatering acidity. A joy to savor over there course of 2-3 h. Wish I had a few more bottles to see how this evolves. (852 views) | | | Tasted by Osiris021 on 10/19/2014 & rated 91 points: No formal notes. (691 views) | | | Tasted by Barolo Raymond on 10/26/2012 & rated 88 points: Riesling on both sides of the Alps (Salone di Gusto, Torino, Italy): Medium(+) rich lemon, slow-moving legs. Medium developing aromas, mineral notes earth, stone fruits, hard to pin down. Dry, high acidity, medium(-) body and medium alcohol. Medium flavors of dominantly lemon, green apples, white pepper and silex. Structured but sinewy, medium length with lemony finish. Austere; may be caught in a less favorable point in its development. (1897 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 6/28/2012: Yellow with some green. Dried peach and juniper. Fantastic glycerine feel, completely dry, powerful quinine and acidity at the end. Like the Steinertal tasted earlier this week, another monumental young Smraragd from Alzinger. (1684 views) | | | Tasted by Charlie Carnes on 6/20/2012 & rated 93 points: Oh my! This is terrific Austrian juice. Where the Pichler came across as a little hot and clumsy, this wine leapt from the glass with beautiful aromas of minerals, flowers and ripe fruit. Yet another great "mouthfeel" wine for me. This yummy, tart, delicious baby had an abundance of tart yellow fruit and apple and a lengthy show stopping swallow. (1918 views) | | | Tasted by VHJV on 5/13/2012 & rated 92 points: A wonderful Riesling with an excellent structure and lovely aromatics. For my taste needs time, though. (1509 views) | | | Tasted by kosinski on 12/6/2011: Petrol and green apple aromas. Honeyed apple flavors with distinct minerality and some petrol notes that should smooth out with age. Needs at least a couple of years to achieve its promise. (1593 views) | | | Tasted by baroloboy55 on 11/29/2011 & rated 93 points: This wine is simply lovely. Seemed a bit austere next to a Julian Haart feinherb on the first day, but recorked and the wine came together beautifully on day 2. Not as powerful as some of the other big boys from the Wachau, but extremely elegant. Citrusy, stone fruit pips, lemony, just a delight to behold. Very complete wine.... (496 views) |
| By Terry Theise
Terry Theise Estate Selections, 2011 Austrian Catalog (5/1/2011)
(Alzinger Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd) ($62.00) Purest noblest Riesling aromas yield to a palate that is in no way yielding and yet still seems to melt into a creamy swoon, exquisite and mysterious, and seeming to get shadier and cooler as it lingers; begins by singing and ends by murmuring. Begins by kissing and ends by falling asleep in your arms, breathing blissful and soft and dozy. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Terry Theise Estate Selections. (manage subscription channels) |
| 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. jhtAustria 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
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