A child of its rocky and barren soil. The vines are 50 years old and more and they reflect the location: Wachau, a true winemaking jewel that combines history, unique terroir, and viticulture that has its roots in the past.

The region is characterized by steep slopes along the Danube, many of which are terraced with dry stone walls, created to prevent the erosion and make the most of every piece of arable land. The Wachau soils range from gneiss, a mineral-rich metamorphic rock, to loess, a silt-rich aeolian deposit that gives the wines a refined structure and distinctive minerality.

The climate of the Wachau is particularly favorable to the production of high-quality wines. The strong temperature variations between day and night, especially in summer, help to preserve the acidity in the grapes, while the Danube acts as a thermal regulator, protecting the vines from spring frosts and excessive temperature variations. This climate helps to develop in the wines a perfect balance between freshness, complexity and longevity.

Wachau Rieslings are known for their aromatic intensity, lively acidity, and ability to age beautifully, developing complexity and depth with time.

The Wachau uses a unique classification system for its wines, known as “Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus”. This system was introduced by the producer association Vinea Wachau, and classifies wines based on the sugar content of the grapes at the time of harvest, rather than on the basis of terroir or wine type.

Piewald Riesling Ried Biern Smaragd 2021 belongs to the Smaragd category, the highest, reserved for the most powerful and complex wines, with an alcohol content of over 12.5%. Named after a green lizard found in vineyards, Smaragd wines are characterized by extraordinary richness and depth, with excellent aging potential.

Intense smoky and stony notes dominate the tasting, but after longer contact with air they make way for increasingly and precise fruit flavors, which return on the palate expanding subtle salt notes too. All of this is supported by a vibrant acidity and a juicy body, which carry the wine long and sustained across the palate.

Rachele Bernardo