Cellar for up to 20 years. Decanting is optional, up to an hour before serving.

The Gritsch family have been working the banks of the River Danube for approximately 200 years. The winery was officially founded in 1799, in a quaint, yellow building known as Mauritiushof in the centre of Spitz. These days it is run by Franz-Josef, who has expanded the cellar into something worthy of the modern age and garnered worldwide praise in the process - including countless 90+ ratings from wine critics.

The “Smaragd” label indicates that this wine is among the most powerful wines that Wachau has to offer. It is also sourced from one of the most impressive sites in the region, a steep, vineyard-covered hill known as “1000-Eimerberg”, which the folks at FJ Gritsch harvest by hand.

As soon as you pop the cork, this single-vineyard wine explodes with scents of ripe stone fruit, grapefruit and orange peel, with a delicate, shimmering minerality in the background. It was aged on the lees and matured in oak barrels before bottling. The palate is a harmonious, fruity experience. Flavours of peach, lemon peel and wet stone are driven along by fantastically juicy acids. The finish is long, revealing further hints of minerals. Consider pairing this with Mediterranean food, classic Austrian pork sausage, or a white fish fillet.