Weingut Emmerich Knoll : Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd 2011

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd 2011 from Weingut Emmerich Knoll

Tasting

Color

The color shows a bright golden-yellow hue.

Nose

The nose reveals a deliciously pure, fruity expression, with aromas of pear, sweet orange and peach. Behind this initial fruit-driven impression lies a deeper mineral complexity.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its power and pronounced mineral character. A spicy structure brings energy, while the aromatic line remains straight and precise, extending the fruity notes perceived on the nose.

Food and wine pairings

This Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd 2011 pairs perfectly with white meats in a creamy sauce, notably the famous Wiener Schnitzel. It also matches well with fine fish, shellfish, and aged mountain cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

This Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd 2011 is best served at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. Thanks to its structure and acidity, this wine offers exceptional cellaring potential, extending beyond twenty years.

A powerful, mineral Austrian white wine from Wachau by Emmerich Knoll

The estate

The Weingut Emmerich Knoll is one of the must-know benchmarks of Lower Austria. The family has been growing vines in Unterloiben since the early 19th century, but it was in the 1950s that the first bottles bearing the Knoll name were marketed. Today, Emmerich Knoll III runs the estate, which spans around sixteen to twenty hectares of vines, including prestigious parcels such as Loibenberg, Kellerberg and Pfaffenberg. A member of Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus and president of this association, Emmerich Knoll embodies the excellence of Austrian viticulture. The estate is renowned for its age-worthy, powerful and mineral white wines, crafted with deep respect for terroir. Since 2023, the entire production has followed certified sustainable viticultural practices.

The vineyard

The Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd 2011 comes from the famed Loibenberg vineyard, located in the Wachau wine region, in Lower Austria. This exceptional terroir covers around thirty-five hectares of steep, south-facing terraces, rising to 400 meters above sea level. Nicknamed the “furnace of the Wachau” due to its generous sunshine, Loibenberg benefits from a continental climate tempered by night breezes descending from the Waldviertel. The soils are composed of 400-million-year-old Gföhl gneiss, with patches of loess in places. This complex geology gives the wines a distinctive minerality and excellent aging capacity. The vines used for this cuvée, between ten and fifty years old, are planted at elevations ranging from 260 to 350 meters.

The vintage

The 2011 vintage in Austria stands out as a legendary year for dry white wines. After a relatively harsh winter and a timely spring, the summer was hot and sunny. From August onward, exceptional Indian summer conditions set in, with a prolonged dry spell lasting until early October. These conditions encouraged optimal ripening of the grapes, producing wines that are both rich and balanced. Despite warm nighttime temperatures slightly reducing acidity, 2011 white wines show remarkable harmony between power and freshness. This vintage proved particularly well suited to age-worthy wines in the Smaragd category.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for the Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Smaragd 2011 are harvested by hand at full ripeness. Vinification is carried out using whole clusters, without destemming, allowing for natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation lasts five to fifteen days in large oak casks and stainless-steel tanks. The wine then rests on fine lees for six to eight months in large Austrian oak casks, without stirring and without the use of new oak. This minimalist approach preserves the purity of the fruit and the mineral expression of the terroir. In line with the requirements of the Smaragd classification, the wine was aged in bottle before being released for sale after May 1 following the harvest.

Grape variety

100% Grüner Veltliner