Im Weingebirge, Grüner Veltliner Smaragd trocken 2014

Wine Description for Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dry 2014 by Nikolaihof

Colour & Appearance

Pale yellow glowing like cowslips, clear and brilliant in the glass – a wine that displays its ten years of maturation with proud transparency.

Nose

The bouquet unmistakably reveals its vintage: 2014 was no opulent year, and this Smaragd carries this heritage with dignity. The fruit recedes, diminished and mature, less lush than in other years. Instead, oxidative notes dominate – not as a fault, but as a character born of maturation, lending the wine an almost meditative depth. Less florality, but greater complexity and a certain noble restraint.

Palate

Here the true class emerges: tightly woven, almost creamy in texture, with a soft, silky fabric that caresses the palate. The structure is remarkable – the wine lingers on the palate, dwells, takes its time. The pronounced acidity, typical of Grüner Veltliner, holds back elegantly and only makes itself heard in the finish.

Finish

Refreshing and long. The acidity, which remained discreet on the palate, now takes command and lends the aftertaste a vibrant length that makes the wine seem youthful despite its maturity.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site „Im Weingebirge“ lies within the „Alte Point“ cru, above Mautern, between 206 and 225 metres elevation. Six hectares on paragneiss subsoil with loam and loess at the surface – a terroir that gives Grüner Veltliner structure and minerality.

Food Pairing Recommendations

This mature Smaragd demands thoughtful accompaniment: pan-fried char with brown butter, veal brisket with root vegetables, mature Comté or Gruyère. Also an excellent choice with asparagus with Hollandaise sauce or risotto with porcini mushrooms.

Special Features

Archive Release 2024 – Nikolaihof deliberately aged this wine for ten years in the cellar. At just 12.5% alcohol, a textbook example of elegance over power, a wine that proves great Wachau Smaragde need not always be weighty. Biodynamically farmed, with the patience of a vintage that needed time to reveal its true greatness.