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

  • Poached trout with dill butter
    Classic Danube fish pairing; the wine's mineral freshness lifts the dill butter.
  • Spring asparagus with vinaigrette
    Riesling acidity and mineral notes complement delicate asparagus.
  • Light chicken soup with herbs
    The wine's herbal mineral character and medium body suit a gentle chicken broth.

How to serve Riesling 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. Poached trout with dill butter, Spring asparagus with vinaigrette, Light chicken soup with herbs. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

The Piewald estate at Aggsbach-Dorf marks the westernmost point of the Wachau wine appellation near Melk. Their Riesling Smaragd is produced from terrace parcels overlooking the Danube.

  1. 1945: Piewald family establishes the estate
  2. 2003: Riesling Smaragd first bottled under current label

Facts

Producer
Weingut Familie Piewald · visiting guide
Grapes
Riesling
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
2003

Frequently asked about Riesling Smaragd

When should I drink Riesling 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 Riesling Smaragd?

Poached trout with dill butter is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Spring asparagus with vinaigrette and Light chicken soup with herbs. Classic Danube fish pairing; the wine's mineral freshness lifts the dill butter.

What grapes are in Riesling Smaragd?

The blend is Riesling. The wine is classified as Wachau DAC.

Tags

dry hidden gem high acid medium body medium term mood refreshing mood rustic occasion dinner party occasion weeknight old world pairs with poultry pairs with vegetable forward pairs with white fish price trade up riesling still white

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