Structure

Sweetnessdry
Oaknone or neutral

Drinking window

Best 3 to 10 years from vintage.
vintage3 yrs10 yrs12 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

What it pairs with

  • Braised veal with vegetables
    Medium body and herbal-pepper notes are a natural match for braised veal.
  • Fresh river fish
    Classic Danube corridor pairing for a Wachau Grüner Veltliner.
  • Warm potato and chive soup
    The wine's herbal pepper character complements a potato soup.

How to serve Grüner Veltliner Smaragd

Allow 5 minutes from open to pour.

  1. Open and pour. Open and pour directly. No decanting required for this style.
  2. Serve at 8-10°C. Cellar temperature (8-10°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
  3. Glassware. Use a smaller all-purpose white glass; the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
  4. Pair with. Braised veal with vegetables, Fresh river fish, Warm potato and chive soup. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

The Leonhartsberger family runs a small Unterloiben estate alongside the more famous names of the Loiben cluster. The Smaragd Grüner Veltliner is the estate's main bottling.

  1. 1920: Leonhartsberger family establishes the estate
  2. 2000: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd first bottled under the current label

Facts

Producer
Winzerhof Leonhartsberger · visiting guide
Grapes
Grüner Veltliner
Classification
Wachau DAC
Oak
Stainless steel; no oak
ABV
13.0%
Price
EUR 18-28 at retail
Drinking window
3-10 from vintage
First vintage
2000

Frequently asked about Grüner Veltliner Smaragd

When should I drink Grüner Veltliner Smaragd?

Drink 3-10 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Grüner Veltliner Smaragd?

Braised veal with vegetables is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Fresh river fish and Warm potato and chive soup. Medium body and herbal-pepper notes are a natural match for braised veal.

What grapes are in Grüner Veltliner Smaragd?

The blend is Grüner Veltliner. The wine is classified as Wachau DAC.

Tags

dry gr ner veltliner high acid medium body medium term mood easygoing mood rustic occasion dinner party occasion weeknight old world pairs with poultry pairs with vegetable forward pairs with white fish price trade up still white

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