Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Terrassen 2015 (Austria)

Before Tiberius Claudius Cesare Augustus Germanicus conquered “Austria” in 14 b. C. here the vines were already cultivated. Centuries later came Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probo, who promoted viticulture in the provinces of western Austria until the Germanic barbarians ended the development of this land. The Roman Empire broke down and the northern tribes settled in currently Austria and germanized it in the VI century, but three centuries later Charlemagne appears to subdue those pagan tribes.

During Karolus Magnus era the wine that in his empire was made enjoyed a good deal thanks to measures like the selection of clusters, the conservation of wine in barrels and their classification. Everything was going well, the vineyards were managed by the abbeys while the borders of Austria extended to the east. Henri II moved his residence from Klosterneuburg to Vienna to become the capital of the kingdom (12th century) and there promoted viticulture.

From the XI to the XIII century Austrian wine became strong: regrouping of wine producing villages, rising of wine consumption, private interests appear and with it, taxes. The cultivation area spread throughout the geography of the Austrian county but is at the end of century XVIII when an unexpected enemy arrives: the phylloxera, that it sweeps with all the vineyard of continental Europe.

To date, the vine is cultivated in eastern Austria and mostly with white varieties, where the Grüner Veltliner is the king. From the north-east of Austria, from Domane Wachau comes this reference, it is a 1oo% Gruner Veltliner that represents the expression of this low-Austrian valley: the cold Atlantic winds, the influence of the Danube river that regulates the Austrian continental climate and the valley forests that balance the day / night thermal oscillation. Finally, the hard primary rock has a diversity of soils for a very special wine character.

Lemon yellow color with greenish flashes. Aromatic complexity around mineral notes, citrus, herbaceous (meadow) followed by others like floral and peach type. Very floral and fruity mouth with a delicate presence of CO2 that gives amplitude to the development. Freshness marked as a good example of Central European white wine that is marked by memories of peach and butter that lengthen until the end and there it is united to a degree of 13% vol.

Delicate and delicious as it corresponds to a wine of terraces, in this case of the terraces of Spitz and Loiren. Its value for money is very positive because it is between 10 and 11 euros. A very good option to accompany salmon carpaccio, pasta gratin with carbonara, Shells of saint jacques à la provençal, pink prawns, fillets of cod and crushed tomatoes with coriander, escalope of breaded veal, lobster, smoked salmon marinade or risotto. Highly recommended.