2024 Prager - Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Zwerithaler Kammergut (750ml)

The Prager family has cultivated vines in the Wachau for generations, and today the estate farms about thirteen hectares of often extremely steep, terraced vineyards split roughly seventy percent Riesling and thirty percent Grüner Veltliner. In keeping with the Codex Wachau, the estate's guiding charter, fermentation relies on native yeasts rather than commercial cultures, a commitment to letting each site speak in its own voice.

Zwerithaler, whose name translates roughly to nestled between the valleys, sits just east of Weissenkirchen and is essentially a Prager exclusive, its soil a complex mix of paragneiss layered with darker and more calcareous rock. Within it lies Kammergut, a tiny parcel of well under a hectare that Toni Bodenstein leased from Melk Abbey in 2015. The ungrafted vines here date to before the First World War and carry an unusually diverse genetic makeup, including a small share of the historic variety Gouais Blanc alongside Grüner Veltliner. The wine ferments and ages in stainless steel with extended contact on its fine lees.

Linden blossom and orchard fruit lead the nose, joined by honeydew melon, a whisper of smoke, and fine stoniness. The palate is vibrant, focused, and remarkably long, layered with ripe yellow apple and a touch of clove. Serve it with grilled veal chops, warm potato salad, or a semi soft cheese.