Alzinger Riesling Steinertal Smaragd 2005

If you’re looking for the “blockbuster” style of Riesling that shouts from the rooftops, you’ve come to the wrong place. But if you’re after poise, precision, and that haunting transparency that only the best of the Wachau can deliver, then welcome home.

Leo Alzinger is a master of the “quietly vibrant” style, and the Steinertal vineyard is his crown jewel. This site is a bit of a freak of nature—it’s tucked away in a cool corner that catches the evening sun but stays breezy, resulting in wines that feel weightless despite their power.

At over 20 years old, this is in a beautiful window of maturity. It has shed its youthful austerity and replaced it with a complex, earthy soul. It’s a “thinking person’s” Riesling—calm, transparent, and utterly thrilling.