2023 Emmerich Knoll ‘Loibenberg’ Smaragd Grüner Veltliner

A majestic Grüner Veltliner from the steep Loibenberg terraces

A masterpiece of balance and energy

97 Points – JamesSuckling.com | 95 Points – Falstaff

Wachau, Austria
RRP $125 | Grand Cru Austrian White | Power • Purity • Precision

“A majestic Grüner Veltliner from the steep Loibenberg terraces — dense yet crystalline, luxurious yet electric. A masterpiece of balance and energy.”

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Pale gold with green glints — brilliant and luminous.
Aroma: Intensely perfumed with white peach, ripe pear, and citrus blossom overlaying layers of crushed rock, white pepper, and flinty minerality.
Palate: Concentrated and textural yet perfectly poised. Juicy stone fruit, Meyer lemon, and almond cream glide across a frame of crystalline acidity. Immense depth and tension carry through every sip.
Finish: Long, saline, and mouth-watering — lingering with hints of spice, lime peel, and chalky grip.

Critical Acclaim

• 97 Points – JamesSuckling.com
  “This is breathtaking — rich yet focused, powerful yet pure. A superb Grüner Veltliner that defines Wachau precision and class.”

• 95 Points – Falstaff
  “Complex and beautifully structured. Elegant fruit meets flinty minerality and long, savoury tension — a benchmark Loibenberg expression.”

Vineyard & Winemaking

The Loibenberg Vineyard is one of the Wachau’s steepest and most revered sites, with ancient gneiss and schist terraces rising high above the Danube.
These old vines yield fruit of exceptional concentration, reflecting both the warmth of the slope and the cool alpine breezes that preserve acidity.

Winemaker Emmerich Knoll III continues the estate’s centuries-old tradition of meticulous craftsmanship:

• Hand-harvested fruit from 40- to 60-year-old vines

• Whole-bunch pressing for delicacy

• Fermented and aged in large neutral oak casks (Stockinger)

• Extended lees contact for texture and longevity

The result is a wine of remarkable balance — simultaneously opulent and mineral, textural and taut.

Region

Wachau, Austria — Loibenberg (Loiben sub-zone)
This is Austria’s most prestigious white-wine region, where the Danube’s reflective light and rocky terraces produce Grüner Veltliners of intensity, precision, and age-worthy power.
Smaragd classification denotes the highest level of ripeness and concentration in Wachau wines.

Food Pairings

• Grilled lobster with lemon-butter sauce

• Roast chicken with tarragon and morel cream

• Wiener Schnitzel with warm potato salad

• Seared scallops or white asparagus

• Soft-rind cheeses such as Chaource or Brillat-Savarin

Why We Love It

The 2023 Emmerich Knoll ‘Loibenberg’ Smaragd Grüner Veltliner is a world-class statement of Austrian winemaking — concentrated, mineral, and endlessly elegant.
It marries the grandeur of Burgundy with the precision of the Wachau, offering both immediate pleasure and decades of cellaring potential.

With 97 points from James Suckling and 95 from Falstaff, this is one of the finest Grüner Veltliners of the vintage — a true collector’s wine that will thrill connoisseurs and newcomers alike.

Majestic. Mineral. Monumental.
The 2023 Emmerich Knoll ‘Loibenberg’ Smaragd Grüner Veltliner is a 97-point icon of Austrian elegance — power, precision, and poise in perfect harmony.