Franz Stierschneider

Wachau Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from Austria's Danube Valley.

Franz Stierschneider works the steep terraced vineyards of Wachau, Austria's most prestigious Riesling region. The winery's portfolio centers on two varieties that define the Danube Valley: Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. The Ried Klaus Riesling Smaragd, the winery's flagship, represents the top tier of Wachau classification—wines of maximum ripeness and complexity from the region's most celebrated vineyard sites. The Federspiel Gruner Veltliner sits one step below, offering the mineral precision and white-pepper character for which the region is known. Both wines have been assessed by Decanter and Falstaff, the leading European wine critics. Wachau's continental climate, limestone-rich soils, and dramatic riverside slopes create conditions where Riesling achieves crystalline acidity alongside stone-fruit depth, while Grüner Veltliner develops its signature herbaceous and citrus profile. Franz Stierschneider's wines reflect the terroir-driven tradition of the region—unadorned expressions of place and vintage.