TN: 2013 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Steinertal (Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau)

WINE TALK
1
  • 2013 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Steinertal - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (4/2/2020)
    Resolutely dry, as if the bones of Riesling were all that were bottled. An hour later it shows more fruit, but still in an austere format. Each rib, each vertebrae is clearly visible. It’s a structural masterpiece, as if one was drinking an x-ray of The Pietà.

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Beautiful tasting note, David. I wish I could come up with that kind of imagery.

3

Thanks David. Evocative note.

4

Great note.

I love this wine in every vintage but especially in 2013. I’ve had two bottles; both were completely brilliant. I wish I’d purchased a case.

5

David, any thoughts on when to drink this? I was planning on waiting another couple of years. I have a few. It sounds like maybe it could get more expressive?

6

10-15 for me. Particularly given David’s description.

7

Thanks, that probably makes sense. Alzinger’s wines seem to really reward patience.

8

Yeah, I think age 10 should be good, though I loved it last night.

9

FYI, it is much more open tonight. Delicious, though I have an affinity for the structural masterpiece of last night.

10

I have read this somewhere online and it corresponds quite well with my experience. As a thumb rule for Smaragd wines: They are nice to drink (or rather taste) from about 1 year after the release. Then they usually shut down for at least two years (maybe even longer, depending on the vintage) and will then open up again. From my own experience, the 2015s and 2016s are currently a bit muted, while 2014, 2013, and 2012 drink very well at the moment.

I was attending a vertical tasting of top Smaragd Rieslings like Hirtzberger‘s Singerriedel, Knoll‘s Schütt And Alzinger‘s Steinertal last year and I have to say the 2005 and 2002 vintages were singing at that point. I try to avoid wines from overly hot vintages, because they don’t seem to age as well.

11

David,

Awesome note. This is one of the best wines in the world. Zen master of a wine, an annual buy!