2015 Gruner Veltliner Achleiten Smaragd

While this (barely) cracked 14 percent alcohol, there is neither heat nor heaviness; in fact, from nose to finish there is a cooling as well as alluring impression of high-toned floral and green herbal extracts, with flavors of green bean and ripe pear retaining a sense of crunch that provides delightful counterpoint to the wine’s glossy texture. Savory and incisive incursions of tobacco, sweat and white pepper add to the stimulating and mouthwatering fascination of a seriously sustained finish. Individual berry selection was required to achieve these results, with botrytized fruit being directed toward the corresponding Auslese.