{"id":31051,"date":"2018-09-14T06:52:35","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T10:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/?p=31051"},"modified":"2022-12-09T19:37:19","modified_gmt":"2022-12-10T00:37:19","slug":"austria-gruner-veltliner-white-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/austria-gruner-veltliner-white-wine\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Gruner Stole Christmas: Austria’s White Wine is a Holiday Treat"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Melissa Pulvermacher<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the most wonderful time of the year\u2026 to eat, drink and be merry!<\/p>\n

When stocking up for those holiday parties, we all have our usual go-to wine selections, but with so many options, it may just be worth your while to venture out and try something new.<\/p>\n

For this holiday, consider looking to Austria for new selections.<\/p>\n

Austria is really hitting the world stage with quality wine production and while they may not be producing mass amounts, we are now seeing more and more in our market here in Ontario and the wine is certainly worth paying attention to.<\/p>\n

Approximately one third of Austria\u2019s vineyards are planted with red grape varieties including the Austrian specialty, Zweigelt<\/a><\/strong> and the sommelier-loved, Blaufr\u00e4nkisch<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not sure about these hard-to-pronounce varietals, a small amount of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is planted and produced as well.<\/p>\n

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Most of Austria\u2019s wine production is white and while some of your recognizable varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are grown and produced, the varietal dominating the vineyards and my holiday food pairings this year is the Austrian Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

5 Fun Gr\u00fcner Facts<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Gr\u00fcner\u2019s mother plant is Traminer.<\/li>\n
  2. Up until the mid 1980s, Gr\u00fcner was only produced as a low-quality bulk wine in large jugs nicknamed the \u201cDoppler\u201d<\/li>\n
  3. Gr\u00fcner\u2019s profile typically has pepper spice and bright stone fruit including pear-drop and crisp green apple.<\/li>\n
  4. Gr\u00fcner is the most widely planted grape in all of Austria.<\/li>\n
  5. Gr\u00fcner is one of the most versatile white wines for food pairings.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When it comes to pairing with your holiday food, which wine goes best with the variety of dishes from appetizers to the vegetables and turkey?<\/p>\n

    While there may be a perfect wine for every dish, if you\u2019re looking for something versatile to compliment the entire meal, I\u2019ve recently discovered that Gr\u00fcner might just be the perfect pairing for the occasion.<\/p>\n

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    Gr\u00fcner is a dry, white wine that is often clean, fresh and palate cleansing, although some sweeter representations can be found. Think Sauvignon Blanc aromatics and Pinot Gris texture.<\/p>\n

    Gr\u00fcner Veltliner sets itself apart from other varietals with its ability to remain austere and fresh with added layers of texture and mouth-feel.<\/p>\n

    This \u201ctexture\u201d gives the wine more body and allows it to stand up to a range of food.<\/p>\n

    My favourite pairing thus far has been Gr\u00fcner with a classic holiday turkey. The hardiness of the turkey with the oily weight of the Gr\u00fcner go incredibly well together.<\/p>\n

    Not a meat eater? Gr\u00fcner matches just as well with most fish dishes and all vegetables (even the tough-to-pair asparagus dishes).<\/p>\n

    As I tested out these pairings for myself, Gr\u00fcner impressed with me its versatility across the table.<\/p>\n

    Gr\u00fcner also comes in a range of styles including sparkling, slightly sweet and dessert.<\/p>\n

    Even more importantly, Gr\u00fcner can be found in the LCBO or on local agent portfolios at all price points.<\/p>\n

    Basic, fresh and simple Gr\u00fcner for your aunt who drinks more than one bottle to 1er (Premier Cru) expressions from single vineyards recognized for producing incredibly complex and terroir-driven juice for the wine geeks and quality seekers.<\/p>\n

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    Gr\u00fcner Top Picks<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Rabl Gr\u00fcner Veltliner Spiegel, Kamptal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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    Available through agent in Ontario, this Rabl was my top selection for price and value. For $20, you cannot go wrong. Very soil driven with flint, smoke and depth. The Rabl Terrassen<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0($15.95) was also very approachable and fresh.<\/p>\n

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    Laurenz V. Friendly Gr\u00fcner Veltliner, Kamptal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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    Also available through agent in Ontario, this Laurenz V. made my top picks for its incredible freshness. For $19.95, this is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Fruit expressive on the palate and easy drinking.<\/p>\n

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    D\u00fcrnberg Falkenstein Tradition Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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    This lees-aged Gr\u00fcner was very classic in style with a lovely palate texture and overall complexity for the price. For $18.95, if you\u2019re going to choose only one Gr\u00fcner to try, start here. Available in Vintages at the LCBO.<\/p>\n

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    Nigl Gartling Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

    Available through the agent in Ontario, this Gr\u00fcner is a beautifully made wine. Typicity and elegance. If you\u2019re looking for something clean, fresh and simple, Nigl should be your go-to; especially for $20.<\/p>\n

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    Leth Brunnthal Erst Lage Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

    Believe it or not, this premium 1er Gr\u00fcner is only $22.95 and available through agent in Ontario. An incredibly round palate with a nutty note stemming from obvious extended lees ageing. This Gr\u00fcner is for those looking for texture and depth derived from winemaking.<\/p>\n

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    Huber Markus Terrassen<\/a> and Alte Setzen Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Huber is one of my favourite producers as they are consistent with quality. Both of these are\u00a0available through agent. Delivering on value, for only $19.95, the Terrassen is a layered wine with flint, minerality and more ripe fruit than the rest.<\/p>\n

    The Alte Setzen was my favourite Gr\u00fcner of the entire lot. This 1er expression is worth every penny of its $35 price tag. Layered complexity and with a sense of terroir shining through, this one is for the wine geeks and sommeliers in your life.<\/p>\n

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    If even Gr\u00fcner is too far outside of your wine comfort-zone, I\u2019ve been known to rave about Riesling as my beloved noble varietal and Austria stands as one of my favourite regions for Riesling production. The terroir-driven representations of this grape are absolutely stunning and certainly worth trying if you can find them.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve recently had the pleasure of trying Dom\u00e4ne Wachau Smaragd Riesling 2014<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0($37.24) and it of course stole the show with its elegance, balance and layered complexity of terroir and fruit.<\/p>\n

    If you aren\u2019t gaga for Gr\u00fcner yet, explore the Rieslings of the region.<\/p>\n

    Either way, continue to taste through new regions and allow your palate to expand. You certainly won\u2019t run out of new wines from new places to explore.<\/p>\n

    Happy holidays!<\/p>\n

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    Melissa Pulvermacher<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Educated through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Melissa Pulvermacher is a Wine Writer and Personal Sommelier for her business, Pulvino Wine. Melissa also works with a local wine agency as Import and Logistics Manager and teaches WSET courses at The University of Guelph.<\/p>\n

    Inspired by the complex world of food and wine, Melissa considers herself forever in pursuit of something new to learn and experience.<\/p>\n

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     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    By Melissa Pulvermacher It\u2019s the most wonderful time of the year\u2026 to eat, drink and be merry! When stocking up for those holiday parties, we all have our usual go-to wine selections, but with so many options, it may just be worth your while to venture out and try something new. For this holiday, consider looking to Austria for new selections. Austria is really hitting the world stage with quality wine production and while they may not be producing mass amounts, we are now seeing more and more in our market here in Ontario and the wine is certainly worth […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":218239,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1099,329,1100,330,113,10,332,105,304,394,26,114],"tags":[1510,1509,1511,1513,1518,1512,1360,1515,1514,1516,1443,38,1517],"class_list":["post-31051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-austria-wine-wine-region","category-austria-wine","category-austrian-wine-wine-region","category-austrian-wine","category-best-wines","category-food-wine-pairing","category-gruner-veltliner","category-turkey-and-wine","category-value-wine","category-white-wine","category-wine-picks","category-wine-videos","tag-austria","tag-austrian-wine","tag-gruner","tag-gruner-veltliner","tag-holiday-wine","tag-holidays","tag-melissa-pulvermacher","tag-pulvermacher","tag-pulvino","tag-top-wine","tag-white-wine","tag-wine-2","tag-wine-picks"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/218239"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31051"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59151,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31051\/revisions\/59151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}