Ingrid Groiss Gruner Veltliner Weinviertel 2022

Don’t mind the umlauts – this is Grüner Veltliner, the perfect wine for spring!  Veltliner (for short) is one of Austria’s native white grape varieties, where it is highly prized.  If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry.  Very little of it makes it out of Austria, and what does gets sucked up by the Germans, Italians and Swiss. 

Why the fever for the flavor that results in this Hapsburg Hoover?  Because if you haven’t had it before, Veltliner has a kind of magic – it takes the aromatic vibrancy of Sauvignon Blanc and pairs it with the sensual palate weight of White Burgundy. 

No, Veltliner isn’t exactly either of these two things.  But, if you enjoySauvignon Blanc or white Burgundy and want to try something new, Veltliner is sure to dazzle!    

If you can’t already tell), I love Veltliner and I want to spread the joy around.  This led me to the Ingrid Groiss in the Weinviertel, the large (for Austria standards) wine growing region to the north of Vienna. Here, in the hamlet of Breitenwaida, Ingrid makes here Gruner with vineyards inherited from her grandmother and that is different from our known favorites and all the tastier for it. 

The harlequin green-yellow color of Gruner Veltliner simply laughs with the joy of spring.  Just looking at a bottle makes the weather seem warmer, the afternoons longer, and leads the tastebuds to salivate.  So there is no reason to wait.  Crack open a bottle and on the palate its juicy Bartlett and Starkrimson pear flavors will dance with Kaffir lime, tropical fruits and a subtle hint of basil.  There is a bit of lasciviousness in it, like it wants to tell you dirty jokes to make you smile.  The finish is creamy and fleshy and leaves you with an exotic touch of green tea. For anyone who loves Sauvignon Blanc, or is tired of oaky Chardonnay, this Veltliner is everything you need to enjoy spring.    

In a word – it’s delicious.