Third generation Emmerich Knoll III, the leading spokesperson for the Wachau region, farms the family’s 15 hectares of land and crafts wines that clearly express the Wachau (and Kremstal) terroir where some of Austria’s most famous vineyards live. This family run winery is a treasure that has been estate owned and operated for over three generations. A member of “Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus,” an association of Wachau winemakers who follow strict quality control rules, the Knoll Winery upholds stringent farming and winemaking standards that vintage after vintage propel their wines to the top of restaurant, collector and critics’ lists. While in the Wachau, one can also dine at the family’s acclaimed, 400 year old restaurant, Loibnerhof Familie Knoll. Emmerich Knoll doesn’t like overpowered wines. Tight, concentrated and balanced wines, which express the terroir of their sites is the credo of the estate. Knoll’s wines are generally regarded as late developers with tremendous aging potential, the best of which will keep for decades. By all counts Emmerich Knoll’s Pfaffenberg vineyard should be considered a Wachau site because of its geologic characteristics rather than political borders. Before the Vinea Wachau was formed, the city of Krems could be considered the capital of the Wachau. Krems sits next to the town of Stein, which marks the present-day limit between the Wachau and the Kremstal. The vineyards of Krems and Stein on the “left bank” seem to belong to the Wachau with their characteristic steep Urgestein terraces that run in to the Danube, however, they are technically considered part of the Kremstal. Why?! Growers in the Wachau prior to the Vinea Wachau ruling were cautious of the powerful merchant presence in Krems and were aware of the dramatic differences in sun exposure and soil composition on the “right bank” of the river, where the majority of the Kremstal lay. They wanted the Wachau’s focus on these Urgestein terraces so they petitioned Krems, including the geologically similar Pfaffenberg vineyard out of what we now consider the Wachau. The arbitrary socio-political line separating the two appellations becomes apparent upon visiting the Pfaffenberg site in the Kremstal and the Loibenberg site in the Wachau. (Check out the video) The Pfaffenberg is made up of primary rock, or gneiss, granite and schist with a top layer of loess, and is known for producing softer, open wines. The Loibenberg vineyard is made up of gneiss and produces structured, spicy wines. The two vineyards produce markedly different wines but the main terrior characteristics of gneiss/Urgestein and steep terracing along with the fact that the two vineyards are on the same slope exemplify more similarities than differences. In this way the Pfaffenberg can be considered “An-Other” Wachau. Originating in Germany in the 1400s, Riesling is hailed the world over as one of the premier white grape varieties. The 2nd most-planted white grape in Austria, Riesling thrives in the Wachau. Sensitive and demanding in the vineyard due to its late ripening and susceptibility to different kinds of rot, winemakers nevertheless prize Riesling for its terroir-expressiveness, a quality that shines especially when grown in the Wachau. Riesling’s acidity and structure, combined with its typical flavor profile of mineralic fruit, make it a supremely versatile food wine. The slightly warmer microclimate of the “Pfaffenberg” vineyard imbues this Riesling with more minerality and body than the neighboring “Loibenberg.”