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Alzinger Wachau Ried Liebenberg Smaragd Riesling 2024

$5999

Alzinger is one of the Wachau's quiet masters, and Liebenberg is one of his cooler, slower-ripening sites, all amphibolite and mica schist on the Danube bend. The result is a dry Riesling built for tension rather than weight. Smaragd is the Wachau's ripest, driest category, but here that ripeness arrives wrapped in stony cut and citrus drive. Expect orchard and stone fruit threaded with a fine mineral spine and bright, lifted acidity. It's drinking well now but has the structure to reward a few years in the cellar.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


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More about Alzinger

Leo Alzinger is not just one of the great Wachau producers, he's one of the world's best producers of white wines. Vintage after vintage, Alzinger’s wines have the magical zip that gives great Riesling a sense of life.

Alzinger's style is one of perfect balance. His methods preserve natural acidity and keep alcohol in check. Some winemakers like to preserve acidity by picking fruit early, before the heat has reduced acids and increased sugar (and sugar's resulting alcohol). That can force a grower to choose between the fully developed flavors that come with longer hang times, and the loss of freshness overripe fruit can bring.

But Alzinger has found another way. He doesn't harvest early; in fact, he often harvests later than his neighbors. Maybe it’s his terroir – steep terraced vineyards, at high elevation and with strong air currents, and sites that don't necessarily get full sun, all day long. Maybe it's all his old vines.

Or maybe it’s his winemaking. With his perfectly ripe fruit he isn't afraid of a little skin contact. He crushes whole bunches of fruit, which may help to keep alcohol in check. A short maceration picks up terroir components from the skins as well as the juice, and the big neutral barrels the wines age in offer a peaceful place to rest and harmonize.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Riesling

  • Vintage

    2024

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Style

    Minerally

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast trout or halibut, wiener schnitzel, scallops, or a creamy mushroom risotto.

Tasting Profile

Dry white. Orchard and stone fruit, citrus, and a stony mineral edge with bright, racy acidity. Medium-bodied and precise.