Franz Hirtzberger, Riesling Ried Steinporz Smaragd, 2024

Steinporz is one of the great primary-rock crus of Spitz, and in Hirtzberger's hands it makes a Smaragd Riesling that's more vertical than wide — all elevation, mineral, and lift. The site is steep, terraced, gneiss-based; the wines are built around tension rather than richness. 2024 delivered a vintage of poise and clarity, and this bottle shows it: stone fruit edged in citrus zest, a wash of crushed rock, the savory mineral grip that Wachau Smaragd does better than almost anywhere else. Franz Hirtzberger Jr. now leads the estate, but the obsession with site fidelity is unchanged. Drinkable now with air, but Steinporz earns its keep over five to fifteen years — it's a Riesling that rewards a little patience.