Jakub Kalinowski

8.9

The quintessential fresh, crisp Grüner Veltliner you expect. Pure, crisp with the typical white pepper notes mixed in the ripe apple, fresh apricot and some flowery accents.
Linear & taut, fresh, zippy and properly mineral. Disappears in a moment.
Delicious sipping with some substance & character. — 5 months ago

Marcio Morelli

9.2

Ried Loibenberg Loibner Riesling — 2 years ago

Veronica Castro

9.2

Note: This is the Chardonnay Smaragd. What a joy to discover Emmerich Knoll makes a Chardonnay. Floral and pure, with more of a Chablis frame of mind. Very attractive. — 7 years ago

Bob Yoon

9.1

Like the Wed Welker of wines. See what I did there? — 8 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

This Emmerich Knoll Smaragd Grüner Veltliner is a stunner!  

It comes from the Wachau region of Lower Austria where the best vineyards are planted on steep terraced slopes overlooking the Danube River. A unique feature of this region is its classification of dry white wines according to ripeness, translating to an associated style and quality.

The “Smaragd” designation is at the top of the ripeness pyramid, awarded to those wines with the most body and concentration of fruit character, having at least 12.5% ABV. 

This means the fruit used to produce Smaragd wines likely came from the best vineyard sites to ensure sufficient ripeness to achieve these qualities, as is the case with this wine hailing from the prized growing environment of Loibenberg.

In a blind tasting setting, what would I look for to try to identify this wine? 

For Grüner, I’d look for asparagus or other delicate vegetal/herbal notes, next to a peppery spice, citrus and green fruits, made in an unoaked (or neutral oak) style, with medium (+) to high acidity.

To further qualify it as a Smaragd, I’d look for indicators of quality with greater viscosity and a fuller mouthfeel, perhaps some riper, tropical and/or stone fruit dimensions, with greater intensity and complexity on the nose and palate overall. I’d look for a fine balance and medium(+) to long finish.

And this particular wine is hitting all of the marks!! It’s absolutely delicious. The kind of white you could decant.

Cheers to delicious, complex wines that would complement any occasion!

Weingut Emmerich Knoll “Loibenberg” Grüner Veltliner Smaragd (2017). 13.5% ABV. — a year ago

with Deked1

Casey Curbow

Sales Associate Windsor Wine Merchants

9.1

Dense with an uncoiling savoriness. A weighty frame concealing soft flower, white pepper and fleshy fruit. — 6 years ago

Mark Gudgel

9.4

An absolute treat, this well-aged Napa Cab from winemaker John Emmerich wowed me with lush dark fruit, leather, and forest floor. Delightful! Cheers! — 7 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.2

Such a unique wine. Snap pea, green plum, pickled cabbage. — a year ago

Raphael Scheib

9.5

Erfrischend und prickelnd — 2 years ago

with Sascha, Janek and 1 other

Jim Wagonfeld

9.3

Top shelf Gruner. Integrated, great depth and balance amongst the white fruit, acid, pepper and stone.
Can’t imagine what the future will bring. — 3 years ago

with Judy