2022 Riesling, Smaragd, Klaus, Prager, Wachau, Austria

The Klaus vineyard is found on the eastern side of the hill, with vines planted on extremely narrow and the very steepest terraces at 300m elevation. The origin of the name has a few theories, but most likely it is from the old German word for ‘very narrow gorge’ – think ‘claustrophobic’ and that will give you an idea of just how difficult these vines are to harvest!

The gneiss soil here is so barren that only Riesling has the strength to flourish, resulting in wines with an almost overwhelming structure, packed with subtle nuances and incredibly impressing length and finish. This is the wine you would need to age the longest in order to get the fullest expression, at least 10 years or so!

For now, the nose is herbal with notes of blackcurrant and white peach. The palate is highly mineral with razor-sharp precision and flavours of apricot, tobacco and beeswax. The finish is stunning and juicy, one of the greatest expressions of this varietal.

Drink 2026-2048

Katie Merry, Assistant Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (Summer 2023)