Let us introduce the Best of Austria!

Schneeweiss Riesling Smaragd Ried Steinriegl DAC 2022, Wachau
 
The Schneeweiss Riesling is the best Austrian wine, one of the wines to have won 6 Grand Gold medals, and also the best Riesling—tied with the other Grand Gold-winning wine from Slovakia. It is crafted by a young but exceptionally talented winemaker from a 5.5-hectare family estate in Weissenkirchen, in the picturesque Wachau region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 

 

It’s not just one vineyard that yields treasures

The Schneeweiss family has been making wine for generations in Weissenkirchen; Moritz Schneeweiss took over the reins from his grandfather. Alongside his studies, Moritz gained practical experience in the Kremstal and Southern Styria. The estate is cultivated sustainably, which doesn’t mean it’s an organic estate—though it comes close—and this is certified in the same way as organic farming. The grapes are harvested by hand, and the bunches are pressed whole. They have excellent vineyards, the most valuable of which is Achleiten with its 50-year-old vines; this is where the Riesling came from that won Best Dry Riesling at a wine competition in Lower Austria featuring more than 6,000 entries. And the fact that the Schneeweiss estate’s other vineyards also hold treasures is proven by the fabulous result achieved at the 5th Winelovers Wine Awards, which went to a Riesling from the Steinriegl vineyard, from the same vintage, 2022. The estate’s main grape varieties are clearly Riesling and Grüner Veltliner—also characteristic of the Wachau region—but it also produces smaller quantities of Sauvignon Blanc and Neuburger.
 

Proud Moritz Schneeweiss on the result

“I am very pleased that I was able to represent Austria so successfully with our Riesling Smaragd Steinriegl 2022, and with an outstanding score of 95 points. I am even more proud that this wine not only received the Grand Gold medal, but also won the title of Best of Austria.
The Steinriegl vineyards is one of the best-known and most highly regarded vineyards in the Wachau, which has long been famous for its exceptional Rieslings. That is why I am particularly pleased that this vintage has once again proven the exceptional qualities of the vineyard. The approximately 45-year-old vines grow on a gently sloping area, on limestone terraced gravel soil, their roots penetrate deep and produce grapes of outstanding quality year after year. This special location gives the wine its elegance, minerality, depth and unique character. However, behind such a result is not only the terroir, but also a lot of work, attention, patience and passion. Every vintage brings different challenges and opportunities, and 2022 has presented us with exceptional quality.
We, Austrian winemakers, prove again and again that we make world-class wines with our numerous high international scores.”

Love brought the wines to Hungary

Wachau is a truly star wine region, with names like F. X. Pichler, Alzinger or Knoll, and of course there are countless wineries that are less well-known outside of Wachau. Yet Schneeweiss wines are available in Hungary, and are also available in several Michelin-starred or Michelin-recommended restaurants, such as Borkonya, Textura, MÁK or Arany Kaviár. It is all thanks to a Hungarian wine writer, Sándor Németi, whose daughter is the partner of Moritz Schneeweiss's brother. Due to Sándor Németi's restless work, not only a Hungarian girl and a Wachau boy found each other, but he connected the Badacsony wine region, which is close to his and his family's hearts, with the Moritz wine region, and earlier this year, Weissenkirchen in Wachau and Badacsonytomaj have officially entered into a twinning alliance. One consequence of this was the tasting "Badacsony in New York" in Budapest, in April with several guest wineries from Wachau, as well as the active participation in the Winelovers Wine Awards, as there were 52 Wachau entries in the competition, and the Austrians became the country with the highest average score.
 

 

Moritz Schneeweiss and Sándor Németi

Why is it worth visiting the Schneeweiss winery in person?

– The picturesque Wachau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a wine region of unparalleled beauty with its steep terraces overlooking the Danube.
– The Melki Abbey is located in Wachau, which is of particular importance to literature lovers, as Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose takes place here.
– Weingut Schneeweiss is located in the central part of the town of Weissenkirchen and also functions as a guest house, so you don't even have to get in the car after a more thorough tasting.
– Moritz Schneeweiss's aunt makes ceramics, which can also be bought at the winery, but jams, distillates and even home-made gin are also available.
– The estate building itself is exciting, it was once used as a salt storage, and today this building is home to the guest house, but also to the winery, and here you can taste the selection of precise and exceptionally beautiful wines.
 
Website of the Schneeweiss winery