2023 Rudi Pichler Gruner Veltliner Terrassen Smaragd Wachau 750 ml

Grüner Veltliners from Austria's Wachau region are some of the great wines of the world. And in this category, few come close to Rudi Pichler's 2023 Terrassen Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, a monumental bottling and an exceptional deal.

Smaragd is the most prestigious designation accorded to Grüner in the Wachau, reserved for wines with exceptional power and concentration. Smaragd bottlings have a long track record of breathtaking development with age, and this one—showing layered complexity that balances vibrant citrus and orchard fruit with plenty of minerality and spice—is destined for a long, fruitful life in the cellar. 

Rudi Pichler is considered one of Austria's elite winemakers. He works in the Wachau, the most prestigious region in the country. It’s really one of the most breathtaking places in the wine world, with steep, terraced vineyards overlooking the majestic Danube river. 

Pichler has some of the best holdings in the Wachau—there are real perks to being in the region since 1731—and he puts them to immaculate use. This bottling hails from top sites in the towns of Wösendorf and Joching, where the mix of soils and exposition helps blend complexity and intrigue into the glass. The steep slopes make for excellent drainage and also expose the grapes to full sunshine throughout the day.

On our visit to Austria, we tried dozens of new bottlings, but didn’t find anything that topped the character and charisma on display here. This wine makes a brilliant pairing with fish of any stripe, a Cobb salad, or Austrian schnitzel's distant cousin, the chicken tender. This is a thrilling wine.