2021 Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Achleiten, Prager, Wachau, Austria

Grüner Veltliner is Austria's most famous grape variety. It is indigenous to Austria and is grown extensively in every Austrian wine region with the exception of Steiermark. It constitutes 36% of all vineyard plantings with the best wines coming from the north-east of the country, particularly regions such as the Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal which border the Danube river.

Wachau is a renowned Austrian wine region producing high-quality white wines, primarily Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Its steep terraced vineyards along the Danube River create an excellent grape-growing environment. The wines are prized for their acidity, minerality, and fruitiness, with strict quality classifications in place.

Weingut Prager is run by Toni Bodenstein, son-in-law of Franz Prager and one of the most celebrated winemakers in Austria today. Toni has run the estate for a number of years now and is the foremost authority in the region on the hugely diverse microclimates across the valley. Earnest but very likeable, he has made a minute geological study of this extraordinary terroir. Southfacing and running down to the Danube, his Achleiten vineyard yields both Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from the top Smaragd classification.