Vinothek Riesling trocken 2002

Wine Description for Vinothek Riesling Trocken 2002 by Nikolaihof

Colour & Appearance

Pale golden yellow, subtly hinting at 16 years of maturity without losing any brilliance.

Nose

Impressive nobility rather than loud expressiveness: beeswax and a fine herbal extract reminiscent of the finest genever. These are joined by freshly cut apricots and ground stone. With air contact, the yellow stone fruit unfolds more opulently and deeply, whilst the sixteen years of maturity slowly but impressively come to the fore.

Palate

A textbook example of classical Wachau Riesling craftsmanship. After 16 years in bottle, this wine shows itself virile and full of life – creamy on the attack, yet firm and shot through with great vitality. The fine, all-binding acidity carries the show, whilst a present phenolic structure lends the wine serious substance. Earthy, stony and spicy notes dominate, with liquorice and wax setting the tone. Subtle stone and kernel fruit notes remain in the background – here structure and texture reign, not opulent fruit. The wine remains juicy throughout and of crystalline clarity.

Finish

Long, precise and carried by great tension. The wine continues to expand and leaves the impression of being only at the beginning of its development.

Terroir & Origin

From the vineyard site „Im Weingebirge“ above Mautern, a monopoly vineyard of the Saahs family on a gentle slope (207-223m). The paragneiss with loess overlay and over 2,500 hours of sunshine annually shape this extraordinary wine.

Grape Variety & Vinification

A Riesling Smaragd that matured for 16 years in a 3,500-litre oak barrel before being bottled in 2018 – a radical late bottling that gives the wine its remarkable composure and nobility.

Food Pairing Recommendations

Char with clover, fig and beeswax, braised courgette blossoms with spring vegetables and honey foam or veal kidney with cress, capers and potatoes.

Special Characteristics

A cellar rarity that prioritises transparency and clarity over fruit opulence – a wine for lovers of classical, biodynamically produced Wachau Rieslings with extraordinary ageing potential.