Gruner Veltliner

Gruner Veltliner is an Austrian white wine grape, which Hugh Johnson thinks is worth a try at any level - from jug wine to fine wine. Known as Weissgipfler before 1855 when the present name was first used, it is a cross of Traminer with an obscure grape St-Georgen-Rebe, of which only one single specimen was somehow discovered in 2000. Gruner Veltliner covers nearly one third of the vineyards in Austria being grown in the north east of the country. Examples from Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal tend to be pure, minerally and capable of long aging. Examples from deeper clay soils of the Weinviertel tend to be more spicy and peppery, though a lot is also made into the wines intended for drinking young in the heurigen of Vienna.