2022 Weingut Emmerich Knoll, “Schütt” Grüner Veltliner Smaragd

We’ve waited long enough to spotlight a blockbuster Austrian Grüner Veltliner worthy of your cellar. And when it comes to Emmerich Knoll’s single-site “Smaragd” bottlings, it doesn’t get better than this. Sourced from the Ried Schütt vineyard, this is Grüner at its highest classification: full-bodied, vineyard-specific, and built to age. Think Grand Cru White Burgundy quality—at a fraction of the price. Knoll’s whites, whether Grüner Veltliner or Riesling, are among the most sought-after in the world. His 15 hectares of steep, terraced vineyards surround the village of Dürnstein, a Wachau jewel with dramatic slopes and ancient soils. Schütt is a masterclass in cool-climate precision and quiet intensity: wet pebble minerality, saline lift, and subtle tropical fruit cut by crystalline acidity. It’s cerebral, elegant, and deeply expressive. Built for the long haul, but already showing impressive layers after a short aeration. Floral honeysuckle, dried stone fruit, hints of pineapple, mang