Weingut Emmerich Knoll Riesling Selection Ried Pfaffenberg Kremstal 2022

We have only 33 bottles of this 96-point dry Austrian Riesling for under $90 per bottle, way down from $110 retail! It comes from a family estate run across several generations by men all named Emmerich Knoll, today led by Emmerich senior and junior, and counted among the country’s top producers for decades. The Knoll cellars sit in Loiben on the Danube in the Wachau, but this wine comes from a vineyard just across the boundary in the Kremstal, the steep Ried Pfaffenberg above Stein. Its soils are mostly orthogneiss, giving the wine its flinty edge, and the vineyard’s cooler, windier character gives it excellent tension.

With the 2020 vintage it became Knoll’s first Pfaffenberg labeled Kremstal DAC rather than Niederösterreich, so it could no longer be sold as a Kabinett. The “Selection” bottling is the estate’s most serious take on the site, made in the house style of dry, precise Riesling. Knoll has long favored natural fermentation, extended lees contact, and neutral vessels so that nothing takes away from the terroir. 2022 was a warm, dry year across Austria, and the best growers kept freshness through careful picking and cool nights.

You’ll find this overflowing with citrus and white peach over a stony spine, with a balance of elegance and clarity that reflects Pfaffenberg’s cool character. It’s completely dry, taut, and energetic, with a long slate and herb-tinged finish. Give this a go with schnitzel, bratwurst, or anything else that’s hearty, salty, and a little fatty or oily. Lovers of the style are sure to be delighted with this dry 96-point Riesling!