2024 Weingut Knoll Loibner Riesling Smaragd

Winery

Weingut Knoll is a fixture of the Wachau. Over the years, the family business from Unterloiben has built a strong reputation with Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from steep terraces along the Danube. Knoll's style is precise and classic, with a strong focus on terroir and aging potential. The wines are deliberately aged slowly so that structure, freshness, and origin remain central. The well-known labels featuring Saint Urban have become a recognizable image among top Austrian wines. You can find more information under the Winery tab.

Origin and terroir

This 2024 Loibner Riesling Smaragd comes from the village of Loiben in the Austrian Wachau. This area is considered one of the best regions for dry Riesling. The vineyards are situated on steep slopes along the Danube, where large temperature differences between day and night create tension and aromatic precision. The poor soils of weathered rock, gneiss, and granite give the wine its mineral character and long finish.

The climate in the Wachau combines cool air currents from the Waldviertel with warmer influences from the Pannonian Plain. As a result, the grapes retain their fresh acidity while simultaneously being able to ripen fully. In Loiben, this often results in a slightly riper and more expressive style of Riesling, without loss of elegance. Within the Wachau, the Smaragd classification stands for powerful, dry wines with concentration and aging potential.

Grapes and vineyard management

For this wine, Weingut Knoll uses exclusively Riesling grapes from selected plots around Loiben. The vineyards are meticulously maintained with extensive manual labor due to the steep terraces. Thanks to the low yields, the grapes remain concentrated and aromatically pure. During the growing season, strict selection is carried out so that only optimally ripe bunches are harvested.

The old vines root deep in the stony subsoil, drawing minerality and tension from it. The proximity of the Danube regulates temperature and helps keep the grapes healthy. The harvest is done entirely by hand, often in multiple passes through the vineyard to pick only perfectly ripe grapes. This ensures a balance between ripe fruit, freshness, and structure.

Vinification and aging

After the harvest, the grapes are gently pressed, after which fermentation proceeds slowly at controlled temperatures. Weingut Knoll deliberately opts for a gentle vinification process that preserves the character of the grape and its origin. The wine ages partly in large, old wooden barrels and partly in stainless steel tanks. This keeps the Riesling crisp and pure, while adding extra texture. At the same time, the typical Wachau tension remains fully intact. There is no excessive intervention during the process, allowing the wine to retain its natural precision. This results in a Riesling with great energy and a clear terroir expression.

Color, smell and taste

In the glass, the wine has a clear light golden color with green reflections. The aroma opens with lime, white peach, apricot, and citrus blossom. This is followed by subtle notes of wet stone, spices, and a light smokiness typical of Riesling from the Wachau.

The taste is dry, intense, and tightly structured. Ripe citrus fruit, green apple, and stone fruit are supported by lively acidity and a pronounced mineral undertone. The wine has great tension but remains refined and precise. In the long finish, saline notes, grapefruit, and a light spiciness emerge. Thanks to the combination of power and freshness, the wine remains remarkably energetic.

Style and character

This Loibner Riesling Smaragd combines concentration with finesse. It is not an exuberant or tropical Riesling, but rather a wine with control, structure, and length. The style is classic Wachau: dry, mineral, and layered. Thanks to the firm acidity and compact structure, the wine develops excellently in the bottle.

At the table, this is a versatile accompaniment to refined dishes. Think of shellfish, sashimi, grilled langoustines, or white fish with fresh sauces. Asian dishes with light spiciness also pair well with the wine's tension. The combination of ripe fruit, minerality, and freshness makes this Riesling interesting for both lovers of crisp white wine and collectors of top Austrian wines.

Volume

The 2024 vintage in the Wachau was relatively balanced, with good conditions for aromatic development and preservation of acidity. A stable late summer gave the grapes sufficient time to ripen quietly. As a result, the 2024 wines combine ripe fruit with a fresh structure and clear terroir expression.

For Riesling, this yielded wines with precision, bright fruit, and beautiful tension. At Weingut Knoll, this resulted in a Loibner Riesling Smaragd with an excellent balance between power and elegance. The wine is attractive even when young due to its fresh energy, but also possesses sufficient concentration to develop further in the coming years.

Pick up in Dordrecht?

If available, you will find the official factsheet and additional information about this fine wine in the 'Attachments' tab. We will automatically send these to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, situated almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.