Quality wine from Wachau

Unlike the rest of Austria, which has a similar classification to Germany based on ripeness, Wachau has a different way of classifying its quality dry wines. Although its wines are also classified according to ripeness, they are different to those for Pradikat (unchaptalised) wines. The lowest category is Steinfeder for light weight wines below 11% alcohol when bottled. They can be spritzig, but grapes must be between 15-17 deg KMW. The next step is Federspiel, made from grapes >17 deg KMW with an alcohol level of between 11-12.5%. Residual sugar should be less than 4g/L. At the top of the scale is Smaragd, made from grapes >18.2 deg KMW, with >12.5% alcohol and maximum residual sugar of <8g/L. The Riesling from Prager pictured above is of the Smaragd category. I presented it at the PWC dinner in which we compared French (Alsace), German and Austrian Rieslings. A golden straw wine, it had a crisp acid nose with hints of almonds. The palate was dry and acid, with a backbone of minerally acidity right up to the finish.