The very first documentary mention of the building that now belongs to the Prager winery in Weißenkrichen refers to Riesling as a central grape variety in the Wachau - and that was in 1302: "situated on the chling in the ritzling, belonging to the michaelbeuern monastery, with the ship mill in pertinence ..."
Riesling and Veltliner are the hobbyhorses of winegrowers Ilse and Toni Bodenstein. They see Riesling as the "king of white wine varieties. Its late ripening and high demands on soil and climate make it an individualist. It is characterised by its elegance and finesse, its minerality and the delicate aroma of white peaches."
The Grüner Veltliner vines in the Achleiten and Zwerithaler vineyards, which are up to 60 years old, are particularly noteworthy. They ensure an "unrivalled density and a particularly pronounced minerality."
The diversity of the vineyards in the Wachau naturally also characterises the Prager winery. "Contrasts in the smallest of spaces, unique soil formations and a subtle microclimate characterise the 'nursery' of the grapes. The subtle differences between the individual vineyard sites are almost unfathomable, their facets and nuances enormously diverse." This was already recognised by the monks, who drew the appropriate dividing lines centuries ago.
The Bodensteins utilise this diversity to "produce unmistakable wines in a unique landscape that are, as it were, a reflection of the vineyard from which they come."
photos: Winery Prager
