Emmerich Knoll GV Smaragd Loibner Vinothekfüllung 2010 (2 Fl.)

Parker: Knoll’s 2010 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Vinothekfullung – originating as usual in Kreutles, Loibenberg and Kellerberg – signals its saline, alkaline mineral traits already in the nose, along with suggestions of kelp, green bean, rhubarb, burley tobacco, succulently sweet pear and quince. There is an almost red wine sense of tannic structure and an ore-like as well as bittersweet herbal undertone to this wine’s rich palate performance and it finishes with terrific energy, diversity, and sheer length, incorporating mouth-watering salinity and an invigorating, smoky bite of Szechuan pepper. I can’t recall a more promising Knoll Vinothek bottling, which considering that until late October it was assumed they wouldn’t even attempt one this vintage, is a pretty strong testimony to the weather’s turn-around and to this family’s tenacity. Expect this to stand up to two decades of aging. Incidentally, it weighs in at almost exactly 14% alcohol, and as such represents the upper-bound for Knoll 2010s. “Warmth and wind at the end of October gave Smaragd the extra push, especially for Gruner Veltliner,” notes Emmerich Knoll Senior, and his estate did not begin picking that category until the first week in November. “Up until then, it pretty much counted as settled that we wouldn’t bottle a 2010 Vinothek in either Riesling or Gruner Veltliner, which in fact we did. But I can’t recall when the Smaragd ever had acid levels identical to the Federspiel as happened this year. Not that I’m unhappy about this,” he adds with a laugh. “There have been and will be quite a few vintages in which we would be happy for some of 2010’s acidity.” A portion of the Riesling Federspiel crop was de-acidified as must. Total production was only around half of what Knoll considers normal. None of the Smaragd – collectively, almost unbelievably, representing the heart of one of the finest Knoll collections in memory – was not due to have been bottled until late this summer. 94-95/100