Grüner Veltliner

Austria's native white — peppery, herbal, long-aging.

Grüner Veltliner is Austria's most-planted grape and its signature white. The wines are dry, medium-bodied, and distinctively peppery (the grape contains rotundone, the same compound that gives Syrah black-pepper character) with citrus, green herb, and a lentil-like savoriness. Wachau, Kremstal, and Kamptal are the leading regions. Top single-vineyard bottlings can age for 15-20 years, evolving into honeyed complexity. Lighter versions from Niederösterreich are everyday quaff at lower price points.