Wachau Porcelain Tour A sparkling carriage ride through the vineyards
An extraordinary, discreet carriage tour for 2 with fresh sandwiches & a bottle of sparkling wine
Structure
Drinking window
Best 5 to 18 years from vintage.
vintage5 yrs18 yrs20 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
-
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.
- Open and pour. Open and pour directly. No decanting required for this style.
- Serve at 8-10°C. Cellar temperature (8-10°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a smaller all-purpose white glass; the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- 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.
- 1995: Hochrain Riesling Smaragd first bottled under the Rudi Pichler label
- 2004: New gravity-flow winery opened at Wösendorf, improving precision in Hochrain vinification
Facts
- Producer
- Weingut Rudi Pichler · visiting guide
- 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
When should I drink Riesling Smaragd Hochrain?
Drink 5-18 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 Hochrain?
Wachau pike-perch with crayfish butter is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Veal sweetbreads with lemon cream and Aged Comte cheese. The wine's mineral depth and racy acidity are classic freshwater fish companions.
What grapes are in Riesling Smaragd Hochrain?
The blend is Riesling. The wine is classified as Wachau DAC.
Tags
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