The
wines of Prager,
Wachau, Austria
Weingut Prager, A-3610 Weissenkirchen 48, Austria
E-mail: prager@weissenkirchen.at
Website: www.weingutprager.at
Tel: +43 2715 2248 Fax:
+43 2715 2532
Regular
readers of wineanorak will likely know that I’m a big fan of
Austrian wines, and in particular of Austrian Grüner Veltliner and
Riesling. Prager, run by Toni Bodenstein (right) since the
early 1990s, is one of the leading producers in the Wachau. Bodenstein
is meticulous about terroir, and understanding how the different
vineyard sites under his control work to make different wines.
There are nearly 15 hectares under Bodenstein’s
control, consisting solely of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. 13.5
hectares are owned by Prager, with the balance rented. ‘Using
natural yeasts is a strong philosophy for me’, says Bodenstein.
‘My idea is to show the differences between the vineyards, and you
can’t show the differences with foreign yeasts. We have to reflect
the soil, and also the different vintages’.
I was impressed by these wines, which are brought into
the UK by Fields, Morris and Verdin (part of Berry Bros & Rudd, www.bbr.com).
Prager Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Hinter de Burg
2005 Wachau
Lemon and herb nose with some melony richness. The palate is bold
and very spicy with lovely weight and a real thickness to it. Savoury
and dry. 90/100
Prager Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Hinter de Burg
2006 Wachau
Youthful. Bright and fresh with lots of fruitiness and some herbs.
Lots of spiciness. Needs time to open up. 88/100
Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten 2005
Wachau
Tight limey, spicy nose. Palate is fully rich but bone dry with a
youthful fruitiness. Expressive. 90/100 (£28.50 Waitrose, BBR)
Prager Riesling Smaragd Achleiten 2005 Wachau
Expressive rich, limey nose. The palate is quite rich with bold,
herb-tinged flavours. Very rich and complex. Long and bold. 92/100 (£32.95
BBR)
Prager Riesling Smaragd Steinregel 2004 Wachau
Very expressive, complex limey nose with a touch of herbiness. The
palate is bright, full and expressive with lime and herb character.
Complex with good acidity and great length. 93/100
Wines tasted 02/07
Find
these wines with wine-searcher.com
Back to top
|