Knoll Riels.Ried Pfaffenberg Selection

From Pfaffenberg — one of the great vineyard sites of the Wachau — comes this Riesling with the density and backbone for which Knoll is known. Not a wine for a quick gulp, but one that grows with time in the glass.

Knoll Winery in Unterloiben is one of the Wachau's leading wineries. Emmerich Knoll and his son cultivate their vineyards on the banks of the Danube according to traditional principles: selective hand-harvesting, spontaneous fermentation, and aging in large wooden barrels. The Pfaffenberg vineyard, with its soils of primary rock and weathered gneiss, yields Rieslings of exceptional minerality and aging potential.

On the nose, peach, mirabelle plum, and a touch of dried apricot—underpinned by a subtle stone dust note that doesn't deny its origin. On the palate, the original's robust structure reveals itself for what it is: a firm acidity that holds the fruit and minerality together without being harsh. The finish is long, saline, and slightly spicy.

• Dishes: Pike-perch with caper butter, Viennese fried chicken, mature mountain cheese
• Temperature: 10–12 °C
• Drinking window: now until approximately 2032, with storage potential for patient individuals.