Every wine producing country needs a point of difference. Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s; a truly world class white wine variety that gives the country that ultimate in the export market, something that is truly theirs.
The nice thing about it is that the primary flavours are that they vary by soil type and aspect. I know that sounds like waffley bollocks. Primary flavours are the flavours that come from the grape itself. So the fruit or flower smells in the glass are usually known as primary flavours. In Grüner Veltliner these can change between grapes (which is a lot less obvious than it sounds!), apples, and salad leaf flavour depending on the soil that the vines are planted in, or whether it’s on a slope, on a plain, or wherever. With me?
I wrote a post a while ago on Chardonnay from Burgundy, and mentioned the idea of what a mineral taste tastes like in a wine. It tastes like you’ve licked a wet stone. As with most things you describe like that, it tastes a lot better than it sounds. It can really add to the body of the wine when it’s in your mouth. Grüner Veltliner can show this minerality once again depending on where it’s grown.
As much as it can react well to oak ageing for a bit, developing honey and toast flavours, it’s usually drunk fairly young. These Austrians can’t wait to pull the cork and get drinking, and who can blame them. I’m really looking forward to trying this wine this week myself.
I’ve just got to go and buy them first!
Cheers
Other posts in NWTW Week 9:
#NWTW Week 9: Grüner Veltliner from Austria – Part One (includes voting poll)
