$39.99 on 6+ (code 6saves2)

89 pts Vinous
The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Hiner der Burg was picked right behind Weissenkirchen castle on eroded and old Alpine deposits. It opens vividly with freshly cut green pear. The palate is milder and rounder than this fresh nose suggests. The body is fluid, slender and flowing, with a rounded texture that has more edges of green pear peel. (Dry)

The Vineyard: Ried Hinter der Burg, meaning “behind the old castle” of Weißenkirchen, is a southeast-facing site with sedimentary soils, rich in humus and containing “shotte” stones from the old Danube. The vineyard benefits from sitting just below the Hinter Seiber and its deep soils are especially well-suited to Grüner Veltliner. Prager produces only Grüner Veltliner Federspiel from this site.

"The wine year began with cool, humid weather, which delayed the bud break. From mid-may the sun came out continuously and provided a boost of vegetation. Thanks to the rainfall in spring, the vines were optimally supplied with water, only the hot summer months produced very dry conditions. The late flowering indicated a late harvest year. In August, the subsequent summer temperatures accelerated the ripening of the grapes. On August 26, a hailstorm destroyed parts of the grapes in Wösendorf, Joching, Weissenkirchen and partially the Spitzer Graben. Dry and windy weather conditions allowed the injured berries to dry well. These were removed by precise handwork.

In the eastern Wachau, harvest started in the second week of September with dry and warm summer temperatures. Large maturity differences between the individual vineyards were recognizable and strongly influenced by the vineyard management.  As the harvest progressed in the eastern part of the Wachau, the ripening phase of the grapes in the west was delayed, so that harvest in Spitz was not completed until the beginning of November."

~ Vinea Wachau on the 2023 growing season and resulting harvest