Grüner Veltliner
Grüner Veltliner is a white grape best known in Austria, and, to a lesser extent, throughout eastern Europe. The name Grüner Veltliner (“grooh-ner VELT-leehn-er”) can be difficult to pronounce, so it is sometimes colloquially referred to as Grüner.
The Grüner Veltliner grape is versatile and can produce a wide array of wines, from light and quaffable to rich and concentrated. The best dry Grüner Veltliners are perfumed, bone dry and full bodied, with high acidity and distinctive notes of spice and white pepper. It tends to offer citrus fruit flavors of lemon, lime and grapefruit. The best sweet wines produced from Grüner Veltliner showcase pronounced aromas of baking spice and stone fruit, with ripe fruit flavors and a rich, full mouthfeel that are balanced by ample acidity.
In the vineyard, Grüner Veltliner ripens too late for most of northern Europe, faring considerably better in eastern countries. Grüner Veltliner is susceptible to downy and powdery mildew. It can be highly productive, with large yields of small berries. Higher yields produce lesser quality wines of little varietal character, so top producers tightly control yields. Those wines produced using restricted yield are full bodied and rich, capable of long bottle ageing.
Austria
As Austria’s most widely planted grape variety, Grüner Veltliner is unsurprisingly found throughout the country. It is at its best in regions like Kamptal, Kremstal, Vienna, Wachau, Wagram and Weinviertel, and high-quality wines from the Wachau can be classified using the regional’s unique classification system—Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd. Top producers here tend to make Grüner Veltliner wines in a rich, full-bodied style.
Austrian Grüner Veltliner may be used as the base wine for sparkling Sekt wines, while simple and youthful examples are customarily served by the glass at the traditional Austrian tavern, or Heuriger.
Global Production
Beyond Austria, Grüner Veltliner is produced in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy and Germany. In the Czech Republic, the grape is known as either Veltlin or Veltínskè Zelené. Sprinkled throughout Hungary, Grüner Veltliner is known as Zöld Veltlini. It is grown in Slovakia as Veltlinske Zelené, and in Slovenia as Zeleni Vetlinac. Some plantings can also be found in the Rheinhessen region of Germany, and Alto Adige in Italy, where it is referred to as Veltliner.
Grüner Veltliner is also grown on a small scale in regions throughout North America. In the U.S., it can be found in various states such as California, Oregon, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington. Plantings of Grüner Veltliner in Canada are concentrated in British Columbia.
Elsewhere in the New World, Grüner Veltliner can be found in Australia—notably in the Adelaide Hills—and in New Zealand’s Gisborne, Marlborough and Central Otago regions.
Synonyms: Bielospicak, Cima Biancam, Dreimänner, Feherhegyü, Feldlinger, Grauer Veltliner, Green Veltliner, Grün Muskateller, Grüne Manhardsrebe, Grüner, Grüner Muskateler, Grüner Muskateller, Grüner Velteliner, Grüner Weissgipfler, Grüner Weltliner, Grünmuskateller, Gruner Veltliner, Manhardsrebe, Manhardtraube, Manhartsrebe, Mauhardsrebe, Mouhardrebe, Mouhardsrebe, Muskatel, Muskatel Zeleny, Nemes Veltelini, Plinia Austriaca, Ranfol bianco, Ranfol Bijeli, Ranfol Weisser, Rdeci Veltinec, Reifler Weiss, Ryvola Bila, Tarant Bily, Valtelin blanc, Valtelina vert, Valteliner, Valteliner blanc, Valteliner vert, Velteliner Grüner, Velteliner vert, Velteliner Weisser, Veltelini Zöld, Veltlin Zeleny, Veltlinac Zeleni, Veltlinec, Veltliner, Veltliner Blanc, Veltliner Grau, Veltliner Grun, Veltliner Gruner, Veltliner Grün, Veltliner verde, Veltlini, Veltlinske Zelené, Veltlínské Zelené, Veltlinski Zelenii, Veltlinsky Vert, Veltlinsky Zeleny, Vetlinac, Vetlinac Zeleni, Weisser Raifler, Weisser Reifler, Weisser Valteliner, Weisser Velteliner, Weisser Veltliner, Weissgipfler, Weissgipfler Grüner, Yesil Veltliner, Zeleni Vetlinac, Zeleny Muskatel, Zleni Veltinac, Zöld Muskotally, Zöld Muskotalynak, Zöld Veltelini, Zöld Velteliny, Zöldveltelini, Zold Veltelini
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Tatomer 2020 Meeresboden Grüner Veltliner (Santa Barbara County)
Central CoastThere's a steely line of minerality that slices through the nose of ...See Full Review$28 -
Tatomer 2020 Grüner Veltliner (Santa Barbara County)
Central CoastThere's a distinctive earthiness that shows across the entire experience of this ...See Full Review$22 -
Chris James 2021 Grüner Veltliner (Willamette Valley)
Willamette ValleyThe wine's aromas of guava, lime juice and star fruit are a ...See Full Review$30 -
Reustle 2021 Green Lizard Prayer Rock Vineyards Grüner Veltliner (Umpqua Valley)
Southern OregonThis wine made my knees weak. Its aromatic combination of key lime, ...Editors’ ChoiceSee Full Review$36 -
Tatomer 2020 John Sebastiano Vineyard Grüner Veltliner (Sta. Rita Hills)
Central CoastPrecise, crystalline aromas of Meyer lemon, lime peel, white flower and Asian ...See Full Review$35 -
Tatomer 2020 Paragon Grüner Veltliner (Edna Valley)
Central CoastThere's pleasant seashore funkiness to the nose of this bottling, along with ...See Full Review$30 -
Franchere 2021 Cascadia Red (Willamette Valley)
Willamette ValleyThis co-fermented blend of 88% Pinot Noir, 8% Grüner Veltliner and 4% ...See Full Review$22 -
Tatomer 2021 Hinter der Mauer White (Central Coast)
Central CoastThis affordably priced blend of 80% Grüner Veltliner and 20% Riesling makes ...Best BuySee Full Review$16 -
Franchere 2021 Acadia Vineyards Grüner Veltliner (Columbia Gorge (WA))
Washington OtherThis spicy white is made with organically farmed fruit grown at an ...See Full Review$22 -
Maidenstoen 2021 Grüner Veltliner (Edna Valley)
Central CoastFrom an east-facing, 1.5-acre block, this bottling hits the nose with tangerine ...See Full Review$24 -
Cadre 2021 Band of Stones Grüner Veltliner (Edna Valley)
Central CoastThis slightly richer take on this grape starts with warmer aromas of ...See Full Review$28 -
Talley 2021 Estate Grüner Veltliner (Edna Valley)
Central CoastGreen aromas of Anjou pear and lime skin draw the nose into ...See Full Review$34 -
Maidenstoen 2021 Grüner Veltliner (Arroyo Seco)
Central CoastCrisp green pear and lime-pith aromas are tight and bright on the ...See Full Review$20 -
Ashley Holland 2021 Almeisan White (Washington)
Washington OtherThe Almeisan is a compelling blend of Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, with ...Best BuySee Full Review$19 -
Jules Taylor 2022 Grüner Veltliner (Marlborough)
New ZealandIt's hard to pin this as a Gruner—the native to Austria—varietally speaking. ...See Full Review$20 -
Ingrid Groiss 2020 Ried Pankraz Reserve Grüner Veltliner (Niederösterreich)
AustriaThis is a bit tight now, but underneath there is a seductive ...See Full Review$49 -
Peake Ranch 2021 Grüner Veltliner (Sta. Rita Hills)
Central CoastThe nose on this bottling is tightly wound, allowing delicate hints of ...See Full Review$32 -
Ingrid Groiss 2020 Ried Sauberg Tradition Grüner Veltliner (Niederösterreich)
AustriaThis white features a beautiful, silky texture, combined with firm structure and ...See Full Review$49 -
Alzinger 2021 Dürnstein Federspiel Grüner Veltliner (Wachau)
AustriaThis shows complexity, with peach, licorice and smoked sea salt notes upfront, ...See Full Review$26 -
Lichtenberger González 2018 Skin Contact Grüner Veltliner (Burgenland)
AustriaAn intriguing texture lures you into this white, then notes of white ...Best BuySee Full Review$26
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