Vinothek Riesling trocken 2002 1500ml Magnum

Wine Description for Vinothek Riesling Dry 2002 1500ml Magnum by Nikolaihof

Colour & Appearance

Pale golden yellow – the colour reveals sixteen years of maturity, yet remains remarkably youthful and clear.

Nose

Impressively noble and restrained rather than expressive. Fine notes of beeswax and a herbal extract reminiscent of the finest gins open the bouquet. These are joined by freshly cut apricots and grated stone. With air, the yellow stone fruit unfolds more opulently, whilst the maturity slowly but unmistakably comes to the fore.

Palate

A classic Wachau Riesling par excellence. After 16 years of bottle maturity, this wine presents itself surprisingly virile and full of life – brimming with tension and vitality. The texture is creamy and tightly woven, expanding from the first sip across the palate into a long finish. A fine, binding acidity carries the wine, supported by a phenolic structure that lends it serious depth. Earthy, stony and spicy notes towards liquorice and wax provide considerable substance. Subtle hints of stone and pip fruit remain in the background – here structure, texture, transparency and clarity dominate over opulent fruit.

Finish

Long, juicy and clear with persistent mineral presence. The wine feels as though it is only at the beginning of its development, not in its prime – a fascinating promise for the future.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Im Weingebirge lies on a gentle slope (207-223m) directly above Mautern, in the sole ownership of the Saahs family. The soil of paragneiss with loess overlay and over 2,500 hours of sunshine annually shape the character of this extraordinary Riesling.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Riesling Smaragd. This Vinothek bottling was aged exceptionally long – 16 years in a 3,500-litre oak barrel – before being bottled in the magnum format in 2018. A late bottling that embodies the patience and biodynamic philosophy of Nikolaihof.

Food Pairing Recommendations

Arctic char with clover, fig and beeswax, braised courgette blossoms with spring vegetables and honey foam or veal kidney with watercress, capers and potatoes.

Special Features

One of the rare Vinothek bottlings from Nikolaihof in magnum format. A wine that places nobility above expressiveness and proves that great Wachau Rieslings can age for decades.