Weissburgunder Smaragd Wachau DAC 2021- Domäne Roland Chan

Kpo says: A TOP quality Wesissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)!

Grape: Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)

Bright and youthful in color, this Weissburgunder opens with an inviting nose of white stone fruit blossoms, candied orange, and lime. The palate is rich and expressive, showing layers of ripe peach, crisp apple, and dried pineapple, supported by a striking interplay of fruit, acidity, and minerality. A spicy finish, fine tannic structure, and lingering fruity aftertaste round out this complex, full-bodied wine.

Smaragd, the top category of 3 in the ripeness classification of white wines in Austria’s Wachau Valley. Smaragd-designated wines are made from the ripest grapes in the Wachau and have a mandated minimum alcohol level of 12.5 percent.

Ried Höll (Single Vineyard)
South facing, between 300m and 345m altitude, covering nearly the whole part of the south side of Ried Höll, the steep slopes have little topsoil, and the bedrock often breaks through. The south expositions make this a hot site. Very steep terraces, all secured with dry walls. A patchwork of different plots planted with a panoply of grape varieties – Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Muskateller, Zweigelt and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and the odd vine that remains to be identified. Dotted with 5 different huts, a large walnut tree, a deer stand and a newly built tasting terrace – this vineyard is unlike any other.

Vintage Note 2021
The year started cold and with delayed budding – so there was no risk for any late frost. Flowering was nearly 3 weeks late, but development caught up in July. August gave us some concerns due to the rain, but the cold weather also protected the vines from fungal pressure but delayed again the development. An exceptional September in turn provided for perfect conditions and slowed further the ripening of the grapes. Last but not least, October could not have been better and this laid the backdrop for a perfect late harvest.

Harvest date: 17th October 2021

Winemaking notes
Harvested from 70-year-old vines, this Weissburgunder was gently cold-macerated for 4 hours before a soft press. Fermented in used barrique and stainless steel, then aged on the fine lees for 9 months with bâtonnage for added texture. Unfined and unfiltered, it captures both the purity and depth of old vines in a classic Smaragd style.

Production: 350 bottles and 50 Magnums

Residual Sugar: 2.5 g/l
Acidity: 7.0 g/l

Awards: IWSC 90pts, A La Carte 93pts