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750ml
Bottle:
$38.94
Prager’s stylistic signature is that of aromatic complexity coupled with power and tension. High-density planting...
750ml
Bottle:
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Prager’s stylistic signature is that of aromatic complexity coupled with power and tension. High-density planting...
750ml
Bottle:
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Prager’s stylistic signature is that of aromatic complexity coupled with power and tension. High-density planting...
500ml
Bottle:
$80.80
This Wachau riesling fails to fit into the dry wine plan of the region’s winegrowers, but succeeds in making the...
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Winery
Prager
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Gruner Veltliner
The pale skinned green grapes of the Gruner Veltliner varietal have been grown in and around central Europe for several centuries, and are a very important and popular grape with smallholders and those who produce the house wines which are typical of the region. They are grown extensively on the cool, windy hillsides of Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia, where they are admired for their ability to express the mineral-rich nature of the terroir they thrive in. Gruner Veltliner is a highly versatile varietal, capable of producing excellent still and sparkling wines, as well as beautifully rounded and subtle aged wines which are packed full of interesting and unique flavors Most commonly, they are associated with the flavors of citrus fruits, peaches, tobacco and white pepper.
Region: Wachau
As with almost all of the central European wine regions, the Austrian region of Wachau was first used for cultivating grapevines on a large scale by the Romans, two thousand years ago. Today, it remains a vitally important wine region, and is by far the most respected and widely adored region of Austria, with the wineries of Wachau enjoying their reputation for excellence and elegance when it comes to the superb wines they produce each year. The mighty river Danube that runs through the Wachau vineyards provides adequate moisture and plenty of minerals and nutrients for the region's grapes, and the warm climate helps the Riesling and Gruner Veltliner varietals which flourish there ripen slowly and fully, resulting in flavorful and characterful wines of real distinction.
Country: Austria
Archaeological evidence suggests that grapevines have been grown and cultivated in what is today modern Austria for over four thousand years, making it one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world. Over the centuries, relatively little has changed in Austrian wine, with the dominant grape varietals continuing to be Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and others. Austria is renowned for producing excellent and characterful dry white wines, although in the eastern part of the country, many wineries specialist in sweeter white wines made in a similar style to those of neighboring Hungary. Today, Austria has over fifty thousand hectares under vine, split over four key wine regions. The domestic wine industry remains strong, with Austrians drinking their local produce outside in the summer, and people around the world are beginning to once more rediscover this fascinating and ancient wine culture.