The Prager 2007 Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Weitenberg leads with high-toned distilled pit fruit esters and snap pea aromas, segueing into a glossy, richly fruited palate, all of which seems to be typical for this clay-rich, water-retentive site. Melon liqueur laced with grapefruit zest and herbs make for a lush, yet at the same time invigorating impression. It’s hard to think about cellaring any wine this forward, but I suspect 4-5 years would do absolutely no harm. This was one of our most expensive and laborious harvests ever, says Toni Bodenstein, adding that if the mere two bottlings he does of Federspiel had not this year represented a full 50% of his production, the attention and selectivity necessary for the quality of all the other wines would not have been possible. Bodenstein notes that he didn’t risk long skin contact this year, as he did not want to risk losing tartaric acidity to precipitation.Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700

Pale green-yellow. Ripe apple fruit, delicate blossom honey, sponge cake and discreet hazelnut aromas. Juicy and quite smooth on the palate. Pepper-spiced juicy apricot, lemon and salty mineral nuances linger long on the finish. Drink now to 2017.