From Weingut Alzinger in Unterloiben, in Austria's Wachau Valley, where the Alzinger family has been working steep terraced vineyards along the Danube since the 1930s. Leo Alzinger Sr. began bottling under his own label in 1983, and his son Leo Jr. now runs the estate alongside his daughter Katharina. They farm holdings of around 11 hectares across renowned rieden including Loibenberg and Steinertal, planted to roughly 55% Grüner Veltliner and the rest to Riesling.
Loibenberg is a towering, south-facing terraced hillside, one of the warmest sites in the Wachau, with deep loess on the lower terraces and stony primary rock above. As a Smaragd, this Grüner Veltliner shows the full power of the site: ripe yellow stone fruit, mirabelle, candied citrus zest and white pepper spice on an oily, concentrated palate carried by fine-spun acidity.
Grapes are hand-harvested late, often weeks after their neighbours, to achieve full physiological ripeness without elevated sugars. Whole-cluster crushed with a short maceration, then settled cool before slow spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and large old acacia and oak casks. The wines are aged on the fine lees, vinified within the strict Vinea Wachau codex.
Vintages may vary. Email us at hello@barrelandbatch.com.au if you would like confirmation.