Prager, Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Wachstum Bodenstein, Wachau, Austria 2017

“From the upper part of the Achleiten and very close to the Stockkultur, Prager’s intensely white-golden colored 2017 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein is based on a blend of many different Veltliner clones and massal selections averaging roughly 30 years. The bouquet is very deep, intense and flinty on the complex and exciting nose, with crunchy stone and lemon aromas. Rich and intense on the palate, this is an enormously powerful, very dense and juicy, slightly creamy-textured but very elegant and almost sweet (high glycerin) Achleiten. It is a long-distance runner with salinity and good tannin grip and mineral tension that will show its true character only in years. Tasted in Weissenkirchen/Wachau, September 2018.”-95WA

Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. The marriage of Franz’s daughter, Ilse, to Dr. Toni Bodenstein in the 1990s was the catalyst for a sweeping renaissance at the winery. Bodenstein, a biologist, geologist, and historian, spent years studying the geology of the region and focused much of his attention on preserving genetic diversity. His “Arche Noah” project, a planting of old Grüner Veltliner and Riesling clones, resulted from his research. Bodenstein’s scholarly approach, passion for biodiversity, and brilliant winemaking has elevated Prager to the highest echelon of Austrian wine producers.

Prager belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex. Harvest is typically from October to November. Grapes are hand-harvested, sorted to eliminate botrytis, and sent directly to press where they’re fermented by what Bodenstein describes as “controlled spontaneous fermentation.” Toni Bodenstein prevents malolactic fermentation from occurring. Since 1996, Prager wines have been vinified entirely in stainless-steel tanks. This minimalist approach reveals wines of precision and elegance, moderate levels of alcohol, and clear expression of origin. “Vom Stein zum Wein” (from rocks to wine) is Toni Bodenstein’s motto and his ideology is reflected by his non-interventionist methods in the cellar.