Emmerich Knoll Muskateller Smaragd 2015

Apricot and pungent herbs, oregano, marjoram, lead the nose with the kind of varietal directness Muskateller does best. Where the Federspiel felt lean and one-dimensional, this Smaragd fills out with pithy, extract-driven body while a bright lemony juiciness keeps everything honest. Green tea, apricot kernel and citrus zest run through a vivid, herb-charged finish that rings long and clean. At barely 13% alcohol there's not much weight to speak of, but the leap in complexity and sheer expressiveness over the Federspiel is striking.