Weingut Prager's Toni Bodenstein is indisputably in the top echelon of his generation of Austrian winemakers, and now that his son Robert has taken the helm at the revered Wachau estate, it's clear that the next generation will be one of continued brilliance.
Always among the most sought-after names in Austrian wine, Prager's flagship bottlings set the bar, vintage after vintage, for Grüner Veltliner, and today's offer features the superlative 2023s that have already found great favor among our long-time fans and collectors of Austria's best, not to mention garganutan scores from Vinous and Stuart Pigott. Each wine is a highlight unto itself, but you should take serious note of the 98-point Wachstum Bodenstein, "an incredibly delicate and subtle Grüner Veltliner in spite of the great concentration." Likewise, the "incredible intensity" and "certain aging potential" of the 98-point Achleiten Stockkultur make it a masterpiece of class and a benchmark for the category. Finally, don't miss a 99-point rarity in the Zwerithaler Kammergut, produced from a micro-parcel of 120-year-old vines owned by the local abbey. "So fluid, but so fine-boned, immensely dense and rounded but without heaviness," notes Vinous' Anne Krebiehl, it's a singular expression and one of the most unique wines in Austria.
Prager's legions of fans will find across-the-board stardom in this range, as these 2023s are yet again up there with the most highly praised wines of the vintage, and they're also available at must-see pricing that puts them among the sharpest buys in the market.
Medium green yellow, silver reflections. Fine nuances of spices, a hint of clove and aniseed, ripe yellow apple fruit, delicate hints of honeydew melon, multi-faceted and inviting, notes of fresh orange zest. Full-bodied, ripe white apple, fine extract sweetness, lively acidity, lemon salty on the finish, very long, a full-bodied food companion, will benefit from further bottle ageing.
99 points, Peter Moser, Falstaff (Jun 2024)
Very concentrated but every bit as refined, this fabulous medium-bodied gruner veltliner has great underplayed power and a terrific mineral energy. Brimming with wild herbs yet so subtle. Extremely long finish in which cool and warm elements are almost perfectly intertwined. Sustainable. Drink or hold.
98 points, Stuart Pigott, James Suckling (Sep 2024)
The 2023 Grüner Veltliner Ried Zwerithaler Kammergut Smaragd is a site still owned by Melk Abbey. The wines made from this site were historically reserved for the abbot. These vines were planted in 1907 and have immense genetic variety, including a small proportion of other historic varieties like Heunisch, aka Gouais Blanc. Located on the eastern fringe of Weissenkirchen, along the Schildbachgraben, this is like an amphitheater looking southeast across nine terraces, shaded as of mid-afternoon. Gentle, subtle moss on the nose comes with a slight overtone of citrus. The palate is almost viscous, so fluid, but so fine-boned, immensely dense and rounded but without heaviness. Lovely citrus, slender freshness and great individuality distinguish the wine. (Dry)
96 points, Anne Krebiehl, Vinous (Jul 2024)
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