Himmelstiege Grüner Veltliner Smaragd

The Himmelstiege comes from one of the steepest sites in the Wachau — a Grüner Veltliner that makes the tension between alpine freshness and Pannonian warmth palpable in the glass.

Domäne Wachau is a winegrowers' cooperative with around 200 members who together farm over 440 hectares in the iconic terraced sites between Spitz and Krems. The Smaragd classification — named after the green lizard native to the vineyards — stands for the highest level of ripeness in the Wachau wine library: fully ripe grapes, mostly from old vines in steep sites, with minimum must weight and corresponding depth.

In the glass, the Himmelstiege shows ripe mango and green apple, plus a clear citrus line and the typical white pepper of the Grüner Veltliner on the finish. The acidity is present but integrated — not an edgy wine, but one with texture and length.

• Temperature: 10–12 °C
• Food: Wiener Schnitzel, zander fillet with beurre blanc, asparagus, or goat cheese