Domäne Wachau Ried Achleiten Smaragd Riesling, Wachau 2019

One of Austria’s very best co-operatives, Domäne Wachau constitutes 30% of the entire Wachau vineyard area, and a good deal of that on the famous dry-stone-walled terraces along the Danube that provide some of Wachau’s best sites. Under the auspices of Roman Horvath MW the co-op has become a highly respected producer, held in high esteem for their stewardship of the land they farm as well as the quality of the wines they make.

440 hectares of vines are farmed under their thoughtful regime, with a strict quality assurance program and an incentives scheme in place for the best growers and those farming the most difficult sites, overseen by experienced winemaker Heinz Frischengruber, ensuring that grapes are of the highest quality and from low yields. Grüner veltiner dominates plantings among the co-operative’s members, making up 70% of all vines, with riesling accounting for a further 20%. Neuberger (a regional speciality), rivaner (aka müller-thurgau), pinot blanc and muscat are also grown, while pinot noir and blauer zweigelt form the final 5%. Very careful handling of the fruit from vineyard to vinification is considered vital so that terroir and primary fruit expression are to the fore, with many single-vineyard wines a focus that illustrates the quality-conscious nature of this excellent cooperative.