‘…in 2025 Robert Bodenstein delivered highlight after highlight.’
Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous
‘…The palate is straight as an arrow, yet super-spicy…this drives Grüner to its nth degree of spice…What a beauty, what a benchmark.’
98 points – Krebiehl on Gruner Vetliner Bodenstein
‘Very concentrated, yet almost weightless…you sink into a fjord of wet-stone minerality and become one with the universe.’
99 points – Stuart Pigott on Gruner Vetliner Kammergut
The Danube cutting a picturesque line through the steep vineyards of the Wachau in lower Austria. It is the holiday season after all, so pleasant little excursions are surely warranted. But one look at those vineyards gives the impression of the meticulous and the traditional rolled into one incredible site for wine making. And, in the hands of a great producer, that’s what we are looking at here. Prager have been one of Austria’s finest for many years and in recent times perhaps the very finest.
So, a mouth-watering, up-river diversion today to examine the stellar new releases of Grüner Vetliner and Riesling from one of the great – often overlooked – wine regions of the world in the hands of master practitioners. Even better for some – a return to the racy style of a ‘proper vintage’, highly celebrated for the reasons of dynamism and clarity over ‘fat’ or ‘full’. Electric in the best sense of the word, the 2025 vintage has produced some humdingers but none so universally high than at Prager.
2025 was initially sailing along towards ‘vintage of the century’ categorisation before September rains clouded and complicated things. But in the modern world of climate change, the freshening-up that this picture eventually provided, was actually exceedingly welcome. The style is juicier, more crisply defined, showing much better balance. Dry Riesling, in particular, does not require excessive weight – far from it – and we welcome the ‘breath-of-fresh air’ style at this address over the heavier, sometimes unwieldy approach of some of the region’s other wines.
The tide has really turned when it comes to modern whites and in Prager, under the stewardship of Robert and Sophie Bodenstein, their endless attention in the vineyard is mirrored in the precision, purity and sheer excitement of the finished wines. They are shimmering, beguiling affairs. The notes below on each wine are actually more instructive than the accompanying huge ratings – but you get the overall picture.
There are almost too many highlights below – but we suggest a serious look at those 3 gorgeous Grüner Vetliners – not a grape we have majored on exactly but the speciality of the region, the country and the producer. Given our liking for brightness and zip in our wine, the joyful grapefruit and white pepper based Grüners, each with its particular mineral refractions, this counts as an omission on our part. Prager value these wines as highly – higher in the case of Kammergut – than the more recognised, collectible Rieslings.
The Prager 2025’s have a natural delicacy and moderate alcohol levels – hallelujah – yet, of course, have the depth and presence expected of profound, noble wines. For those who may have forgotten the ‘smaragd’ category is the highest classification level found for the dry white wines of the Wachau. The selection below offers a an embarrassment of riches – ‘highlight after highlight’ according Vinous resident expert Anne Krebiehl MW.
Select your chosen site and salivate!
Best wishes,
Brunswick Team.
Tel/WhatsApp +44 (0)1273 054690
2025 Prager, Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Achleiten
£237 per case in bond (6x75cl)
‘Youthful nose of orange blossom and spring meadows. An exceptionally mineral Grüner Veltliner with intense smokiness. Excellent concentration yet the wine is so straight and precise. Mountain stream purity and freshness at the finish! This really deserves some time in bottle, but it is already really delicious.’
96 points, Stuart Pigott
2025 Prager, Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Wachstum Bodenstein
£249 per case in bond (6x75cl)
‘The 2025 Grüner Veltliner Wachstum Bodenstein Smaragd comes from Toni Bodenstein’s landmark collection of Grüner genetics, all planted together in 1997 in the upper part of Achleiten. Green pepper, Conference pear peel, smooth yeast and subtle greengage glow on the nose with beautiful savoriness and a shimmer of white miso. The palate is straight as an arrow, yet super-spicy, super-savory and wonderfully stony. This drives Grüner to its nth degree of spice. What remains is stone and straightness. What a beauty, what a benchmark. 2030-2065.’
98 points, Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous
2025 Prager, Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Zwerithaler Kammergut
£348 per case in bond (6x75cl)
‘The 2025 Grüner Veltliner Ried Zwerithaler Kammergut Smaragd comes from ancient vines that were 118 years old that year. Although Grüner appears on the label, tiny portions of other varieties, such as Gouais Blanc, are present on southeast-facing terraces. The shy nose offers tender stone fruit, a touch of woodruff and little else for now. The palate, however, is a well of savor, with profound umami saltiness aligned with mouthwatering zestiness. This combination is totally appetizing and irresistible. It is like an essence of stone. If this were food, it would be called hyperpalatability. Whoa. 2030-2065.’
99 points, Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous
‘Hang your nose into the glass and let yourself dissolve in this pool of wild herb and vegetal beauty! Extremely young and a bit closed now. As it aerates the white peach aroma expands and expands. Very concentrated, yet almost weightless. Then you sink into a fjord of wet-stone minerality and become one with the universe. From vines planted in 1907!’
99 points, Stuart Pigott
2025 Prager, Riesling, Smaragd, Ried Achleiten
£237 per case in bond (6x75cl)
‘The 2025 Riesling Ried Achleiten Smaragd is a 3-D vision of this site, looking west, east and south, from vines planted in the 1950s and 1990s. Gorgeous white peach seems steeped in lime and grapefruit zest. That absolute citrus slenderness carries onto the palate, where it drills down into rock, linear, uncompromising, svelte and very stony. This is austere now but will be a marvel in the future, with alluring purity and strait-laced poise. 2030-2065.’
98 points, Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous
2025 Prager, Riesling, Smaragd, Ried Klaus
£249 per case in bond (6x75cl)
‘The 2025 Riesling Ried Klaus Smaragd, grown on amphibolite at 300 meters of altitude, mixes flinty smokiness with tangerine zest on the nose. Blood orange also makes an appearance. On the palate, naked salty stone forms the backdrop for more citrus notes of pink grapefruit and Seville orange. But it is the concentration, mouthwatering zestiness and naked stoniness that drive this into the extraordinary. 2030-2065.’
98 points, Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous
