Tegernseerhof Ried Steinertal Riesling Smaragd 2021 comes from the same renowned Steinertal site in Austria's Wachau as the estate's current release, but shows a noticeably more developed character with a few extra years in bottle. The tightly wound minerality of a young Steinertal has begun to open into something broader.

Petrol and honeyed citrus notes are starting to emerge alongside the site's core stone-fruit and flint character, a classic sign of Riesling settling into early maturity, with a faint smoky note remaining from that core character, now woven through the more developed fruit. The palate has softened slightly too, with the fruit rounder and the minerality now woven through rather than dominant, the saline thread running through it staying remarkably consistent from start to finish.

Acidity remains a defining feature, keeping the wine fresh and precise despite its added complexity, and the finish is long and saline.

It suits richer seafood, roast chicken or dishes with a touch of chilli, where its developing complexity has more to offer.

It is drinking beautifully right now, at the point where site character and bottle age are both clearly expressed.