Year of the Riesling... More Great Accolades for 2023 and the Wines of Leo Alzinger

Weingut Leo Alzinger, Wachau

For years I have been impressed with drinking the wines from this winery specializing equally in Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.  Depending on the growing year, either Riesling or Gruner can produced the more favorable wine, however in 2023 in both categories of Gruner and Riesling most Austrian producers made exceptional wines across the board.  I have continued to beat the Riesling drum for the 23's, but Gruner Veltliner wines have been edging forward and receiving just as much praise in the Wachau.

Today the winery is guided by the next generation, both the husband-and-wife team of Leo (Jr) Alzinger and Katharina Alzinger-Kittel.  Leo has been able to learn by doing with his father Leo (Sr) who began the winery in the early 80's.  Leo Jr. has long been crafting the wines with his father's oversight and continues to make improvements in both the vineyard and in the cellar to further refine and craft these incredibly terroir transparent and precise wines.  The make you salivate with each taste.  There is a great driving persistence to the elegantly long and fine-boned detail that make these wines among some of the best in the Wachau.  The 2023 vintage makes no exception to their work other than elevating the wines through a near-perfect approach to the final product, the wines.

We hope the press gets you just as excited as here too is some incredible reviews and accolades.

The wines...

2023 Riesling Reid Steinertal Smaragd - JS 98, VN 96-98
"An exceptionally cool and complex expression of the underrated Steinertal site overflowing with wild-berry, herb and fern aromas plus a staggering wet-stone freshness. Sleek and incredibly focused with a primordial energy that takes your breath away. Decades of aging potential but so exciting now." - James Suckling, Sept. 29, 2024

2023 Gruner Veltliner Reid Steinertal Smaragd - JS 96, VN 95-97
"This brilliant and concentrated Wachau gruner veltliner has a wealth of green bean, summer vegetable and garden herb aromas that I could study for hours. Super straight on the medium-bodied palate, with enormous mineral freshness driving the super-long finish. Long aging potential." - James Suckling, Sept. 29, 2024

2022 Riesling Reid Loibenberg Smaragd - JS 96, VN 95-97
"The 2023 Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd is picked in one parcel of poor soil that is steep and a complete suntrap that becomes shaded in the afternoon, mixing the warm site with a cooler element. Yeast and a touch of passion fruit foliage set the tone on the nose. The palate is a picture of slenderness, tautness, citric tension and freshness. A stony backdrop heightens that sleekness and has the name Alzinger printed all over it. Taut, fresh and zesty. (Bone-dry)" - By Anne Krebiehl MW on May 2024

2023 Gruner Veltliner Reid Loibenberg Smaragd - JS 94, VN 96-98
"The 2023 Gruner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd is picked in a lens of loess in this site known for its warmth, affording some water retention. Smooth, almost balm-like yeast has gentle pepper and promises richness. The palate is just as smooth and flowing, channeling its ripeness and fill into that cooling, smooth yeastiness that subsumes pepper and fruit and fills the mouth. Power and freshness become apparent in the aftertaste, which is still savory with fern and white miso. (Bone-dry)" - By Anne Krebiehl MW on May 2024


These are bottles to drink and collect.  Take your allocation today before these tasty bottles are gone.  

#yearoftheriesling

Orders which include wines marked PRE-ARRIVAL that are combined with in stock items will be available for shipping/collection once all items have arrived at our warehouse.

-The Bottle List