Riesling Smaragd Hochrain

What it pairs with

• Wachau pike-perch with crayfish butter
  The wine's mineral depth and racy acidity are classic freshwater fish companions.
• Veal sweetbreads with lemon cream
  Rich offal needs the wine's piercing acidity to balance; stone-fruit notes echo lemon-cream flavours.
• Aged Comte cheese
  Nutty hard cheese resonates with the mineral backbone of the Riesling.

How to serve Riesling Smaragd Hochrain

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. Wachau pike-perch with crayfish butter, Veal sweetbreads with lemon cream, Aged Comte cheese. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Hochrain is a grand-cru level terraced site above Wösendorf worked by the Pichler family estate (founded 1731, distinct from the F.X. Pichler estate in Loiben). Rudi Pichler introduced a modern winery in 2004 and the Hochrain Smaragd became the estate's top expression.

1. 1995 — Hochrain Riesling Smaragd first bottled under the Rudi Pichler label
2. 2004 — New gravity-flow winery opened at Wösendorf, improving precision in Hochrain vinification

Facts

Producer

Weingut Rudi Pichler

Grapes

Riesling

Classification

Wachau DAC

Oak

Stainless steel; no oak

ABV

13.5%

Price

EUR 50-75 at retail

Drinking window

5-18 from vintage

First vintage

1995

Frequently asked about Riesling Smaragd Hochrain

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