2016 FX Pichler - Gruner Veltliner Durnsteiner Liebenberg Smaragd Trocken

From a warm, very steep, southwest-facing vineyard with partly 60+-year-old vines on a calcareous soil with schist elements, the 2016 Ried Liebenberg Grüner Veltliner Smaragd opens with a clear, fresh, cool and dusty-chalky bouquet of wet limestone and perfectly ripe, well concentrated fruits. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich, elegant, silky textured and well balanced Grüner Veltliner with fine tannins structuring the intense, juicy/fleshy and well concentrated fruit. The acidity is very fine here and the finish salty, velvety and round without being sweet. It is a great and structured Liebenberg and possibly one of the best Grüner Veltliners I have tasted in the Wachau from 2016. Tasted as a sample in July 2017, three weeks before bottling.