“The valley is narrow and the rocky terraces are incredibly steep where the Kremstal appellation borders the Wachau – there is nearly no top soil at all.” I listen attentively as Michael Malat pulls a tight wetsuit over muscular thighs and zips it tautly over his chest.
Stift Göttweig (c) Himmel, AWMB
“In the side valley cut by the Krems River you find Senftenberg and the same – steep and rocky conditions. The vines there are like old leathery alpine climbers that always find the best way to hold themselves tight on the mountain face.” Michael’s father Gerald Malat, a visionary vintner and avid sportsman, accelerates the speed boat and we head eastwards on the Danube River. The valley begins to widen. On the left is the famous wine and art city of Krems nestled into the mountainside and across the river to the south, high on a plateau is the splendid Stift Göttweig the Benedictine monastery that appears to benevolently guard the 2,600 hectares of vineyards in the Kremstal appellation. Michael points to the right and says, “Our vineyards are among those on the south side of the river. Between the river and Stift Göttweig there is a little pocket of gravel and loam which offers ideal conditions for elegant, cool climate red wines, but the greater part of the vineyards are predestined for superb white wines from Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Like most of our appellation we have lots of primary rock. But the river valley opens here and there are also vineyard plots with loess topsoil, decomposed rock transported by the wind over the ages.” I understand why Michael wanted to give me an overview of the Kremstal terroir here from the boat. As we travel farther east, the valley on the north side of the river also opens and the hillsides and mountains are more exposed to the warm air masses coming from the southeast. Michael gives me the binoculars as he points out the more powerful loess terraces over ancient primary rock in the wine villages of Gedersdorf and Rohrendorf. “The soil and the microclimate there bring richer, fuller wines. It is really interesting how, with a little experience, you can really learn to recognize the subtle, but consistent differences that you taste in our individual vineyards. The ‘Traditionsweingüter’ vintners’ association has been doing much research and observation over the past years and have classified the very best vineyards that can be seen as our Grand Cru as ‘Erste Lage’ and other prime vineyards (similar to Premier Cru) as ‘klassifizierte Lage’.”
We’ve reached a calmer part of the river and Michael sits on the back ramp of the boat and spreads a little liquid soap to lubricate the tight foot holds of the water ski. He slips both feet into his slalom ski, takes the rope and eases himself into the cool water. Michael has quite an impressive physique – tall, broad shoulders, bulging biceps, quads, nice abs – need I continue? This can’t just come from canopy management and he can’t be moving many barrels because the Kremstal DAC wines are not oaked. His father seems to be reading my thoughts, “Michael was the national water ski champion in the amateur category and he does a lot of other sports, too.” Michael gives the thumbs up and as Gerald hits the gas, my heart beats faster. Michael pops out of the water with his blonde tresses flying in the wind. He lays into the edge of his ski, spraying a glistening rooster’s tail against the blue sky behind him.
I keep an attentive eye on Michael while Gerald drives the boat and continues the conversation where Michael left off. “The Kremstal DAC and Kremstal Reserve DAC were established in 2007. It has helped define the authentic Kremstal expression of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. In the past a few vintners would allow a little noble rot in their dry wines. This may lend a little attractive spice to wines in their youth, but this is at the price of structure, longevity and minerality. No oak or botrytis influence is allowed in Kremstal DAC and Kremstal DAC Reserve and that is a very good thing. The wines always exhibit very pure varietal character. The Kremstal DAC wines are crisp, aromatic, medium light in body, and always under 13% alcohol. The reserve wines are sourced from the most exceptional vineyard plots and are intense with a more muscular structure and long mineral finish. Both the Grüner Veltliner and Riesling Kremstal Reserve DAC can mature gracefully in the bottle for years.”
After waterskiing, Michael and I go for a stroll in Krems as he tells me about the lifestyle here. Krems was originally an important shipping and trading hub on the Danube River. Due to its affluence it was able to sustain a thriving art scene. There are numerous galleries and museums making up a permanent “Kunstmeile” or “Art Mile” centered around the Ernst Krenek Forum and the Caricature Museum. “When friends come to visit and I take them to our museums, I also like to take them to ARTE, it is a combination of an art gallery and wine bar. In the evening, Wein & So is the hopping place to go for wine lovers.”
One place that visitors to Kremstal certainly shouldn’t miss is the Weinsinn Sandgrube 13. The visitor’s center of the exemplary cooperative, Winzer Krems, offers tours for experiencing and discovering wine in a very fun and entertaining way. The city of Krems also has its own historic winery, Weingut Stadt Krems, which also has a recommendable shop and tastings. Both of these wine producers offer exceptional wines at very competitive prices.
We settle into the Bistro de la Tour for a casual dinner and a sampling of local wines. Michael wants to make sure I get a chance to try wines from two of Austria’s leading organic producers. “Ilse Maier event wrote a great book about the production of organic wines and her Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from the Geyerhof winery really do a good job of demonstrating the poised elegance from the terroir on ‘our’ south side of the river. Niki Moser converted the family estate Sepp Moser in Rohrendorf to biodynamic viticulture and you’ve just got to try his Grüner Veltliner from the loess soils of the Breiten Rain vineyard.” To exemplify the steep primary rock, Michael has chosen the Riesling Kremser Weinzierlberg from the Türk winery. It has plenty of pure peach and apricot fruit, but it is the delineated mineral structure that really fascinates me.
“I love living in the Krems Valley. There are plenty of opportunities for athletic adventures in the outdoors – we have rivers and we have forests and mountains. The Austrian Wine Academy has a branch here that offers seminars for wine lovers and professionals. We have great concerts and wine related events throughout the year. We’ve got a thriving art scene. And we have plenty of chances to talk about all these great things with friends at our local wine taverns, wine bars and gourmet restaurants. You won’t go thirsty or hungry in Kremstal!”
My knuckles are white as I grip the handlebars tight and I am hanging my rear end out behind the bike seat to keep my weight back as far as possible as I hop from one stone-walled vineyard terrace down to the next. Thank goodness this is not the Wachau – the terraces are a little wider here in the Traisental!
Andreas Holzer, local vintner and my mountain bike guide in Traisental, stops to give me a chance to catch up with him. There is a delicate aroma of apple in the air and I look up to see an apple tree, its ripening fruit blushing in the late afternoon sun. Andreas points to vines around us and says, “In no other Austrian wine-growing area does Grüner Veltliner represent such a large proportion of territory. It makes up 63% of the Traisental vineyards. We are now standing in the Alte Setzen Vineyard from Markus Huber. He makes one of the region’s – no, one of the world’s – top Grüner Veltliners every year and has done much to raise the region’s profile.”
Really? Who in the world knows about Traisental? And why are the wines here so good and so inexpensive?
Pedalling through the Traisental terrain, I notice the landscape so typical for the wine growing areas along the Danube River west of Vienna. Many of the vineyards are terraced on hillsides, usually not quite as steep as the Wachau and thus the terraces are broader with several rows. Andreas points out the loess, decomposed material that has been deposited by the wind. “See these huge walls of loess on the side of the road? Sometimes it is several meters deep. But look ahead, do you see that vineyard? There is nearly no loess at all; the conglomerate base is completely exposed.” The Danube and Traisen Rivers function as climate regulators ensuring the circulation of warm air masses coming in from the Pannonian Plains to the east and the cold air from the deep forest district to the north. These are the perfect conditions for white wine varieties, in particular Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. It is quieter here and there is far less tourism than along other parts of the Danube, lending the area a peaceful and wholesome charm.
Wine is a cultural product with an identity that is rooted in climate, soil, and topography. Despite this, the Traisental appellation corresponds to a political border rather than to geological and meteorological attributes. The Traisental DAC corresponds exactly with the boundaries of the “Gerichtsbezirk St. Pölten Nord”. With a beginning metamorphosis of Austrian wine laws evolving from categories based on grape sugar content to wine laws based on geographical origins, one hopes that Austrian wine will eventually throw those political borders overboard. Andreas admits as much when he says, “Our soils are predominantly limestone conglomerate with loess top soil – perfect for Grüner Veltliner. The sites with little or no loess and less limestone are ideal for Riesling. I agree that the part of the Kremstal DAC that is south of the Danube River has more in common with Traisental than the part of the Kremstal to the north!” The DAC idea is based on establishing a geographic region of origin and identity that can be easily recognized by international consumers as a brand. With only 800 hectares of vineyards, Traisental remains a hidden secret. Despite this, in its short existence since 2006, the Traisental DAC is indeed contributing positively to the tiny region’s wine identity.
Grapes and wine have historically been one of the products of mixed agricultural farms in Traisental, and in all of eastern Austria for that matter. Only in the last two generations has one begun to see a shift to specialist production. The vineyard holding of a winery is still only two hectares. Despite their small size, Traisental wine producers have often had several different grape varieties and produce up to 30 different wines each vintage. The reason for this was to satisfy the demands of customers at the farm’s heuriger (wine tavern) where a significant portion of a farm’s products have traditionally been sold and consumed. This fractured structure has been both the charm and the curse of Traisental.
The Traisental DAC, established in 2006, recognizes Riesling and Grüner Veltliner as the best of what the Traisental has to offer. Wines from this geographic origin are single varietal wines that can be made from either variety and bottled either as “Classic” or as “Reserve”. No flavours of new oak or botrytis notes are allowed in either style. The “Classic” must show clear, crisp varietal character and have a minimum of 12% alcohol. The “Reserve” is harvested later and is more powerful and mineral with a minimum of 13% alcohol. This clearly defined concept is encouraging producers to concentrate on what is best suited to the region and international red wine varieties and other misfits are slowly being abandoned to fulfil the domestic demand for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling under the DAC labels.
If you take a look at a topographical and metrological map of Austria’s wine regions, one can see that the wine growing areas along the Danube from Krems to the borders of Vienna exhibit strong similarities. The top quality wines from Kremstal, Kamptal, Traisental and Wagram are all from Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Crystal clear varietal character as a voice, an amplifier, for terroir is sought. The use of new oak or inclusion of botrytized grapes to enhance flavour is frowned upon as short-term cosmetic that disguise terroir and do not contribute to longevity.
"Berg" vineyard at the (c)Markus Huber Winery
Andreas and I arrive at our destination the Donau Restaurant in Traismauer. This is a favourite of him and his young vintner colleagues because it is located directly on the river and has a large, pleasant outdoor eating area and a perfect room indoors for seminars, tastings and wine presentations. While dining on local fish specialties, Andreas presents several wines from various Traisental wineries. “For a long time, the only vintner that exported and was known outside of Traisental was Ludwig Neumayr. He can really be considered the father of high quality wines of international format in our region. But then along came Markus Huber, a very young vintner, and he has shown us all what can be done if you make no compromises and concentrate on the great terroir that we have in Traisental. He has really become a source of inspiration for the new generation of vintners here.”
Ludwig Neumayr and Markus Huber are both members of the vintner association Traditionsweingüter. The association includes many of the elite wineries of the winegrowing regions Kremstal, Kamptal, Traisental and Wagram. For two decades, they have been working on a classification of vineyards based on long-term performance of these regions’ wines. The top 52 vineyards are called “Erste Lage”. The classification system does not yet hold any legal status nor has it been analyzed and approved by an official third party. Despite this, it does show visionary qualities. Austrian wines have been classified in the past by their grape sugar must content instead of origin. The DAC system is just in its early stages and will still evolve. Seen not only from a geological and meteorological standpoint, but culturally and from international marketing view, it would make sense to join these four political districts into one wine appellation and within that appellation make differentiations according to single vineyards.
Hedgehog cleaning the Donau Restaurant terrace at dusk (c)julia7ich
Fisher at sunset in Traisental (c)Julia7ich
As the sun sets we see a fisherman silhouetted against the river and a small hedgehog meanders over the terrace nibbling crumbs under the tables. I enjoy the peaceful idyll after a day of rock hopping on my bike through the Traisental. This secret place off the beaten track is home to untouched wine gems at very drinkable prices!
Weinviertel DAC
“There is a rather endearing curse in the German language. When you are frustrated with someone and want to send them to the end of the world, you tell them to go ‘where the pepper grows’,” laughs Marion Ebner-Ebenauer. “I used to think that meant somewhere far away and isolated like Africa, Madagascar, or the most rural parts of the Weinviertel. But now with the international success of our peppery Grüner Veltliner under the geographic label of origin ‘Weinviertel DAC’, the place where ‘the pepper grows’ has gained a pleasant second meaning.”
Marion is taking me on a tour of the Weinviertel in her vintage VW beetle and I am impressed that this old red convertible successfully climbs each vineyard slope without a sputter! We are just past the borders of Vienna touring vineyards of Langenzersdorf, Bisamberg und Hagenbrunn. We refresh ourselves along the way with typical heuriger fare of various salads and bread with different delicious spreads as well as the region’s famous Marchfeld asparagus. The Weinviertel is the bread basket of Austria. Most of the country’s grains are grown here and it is also a primary source of fresh vegetables for the nation’s capitol city. Austria’s heuriger culture was born when a sanction passed by Emperor Franz-Josef II in 1784 allowed farmers to sell their produce and products directly to consumers and this culture of rustic wine taverns continues to thrive.
“The biggest difference between now and then is that farmers have begun to specialize. This is particularly true of grape growers. As specialization has increased, so also has the quality of our region’s wines.” explains the young vintner. Marion slips on her red leather driving gloves, a chic little necessity for manoeuvring without power steering. She steps on the gas and we head to our last stop before leaving the southern Weinviertel.
At the restaurant of the Imperial Festival Palace Hof, we are served a wine labelled Weinviertel DAC, which always designates peppery wines from 100% Grüner Veltliner with crisp fruit, medium body and refreshing acidity. Marion explains, “The more powerful, full-bodied Grüner Veltliners are labelled Weinviertel Reserve DAC. These wines were harvested later and have more opulent fruit and black pepper aromas.” Our surroundings are impressive: the Imperial Festival Palace Hof is Austria’s largest rural palace complex. The palace, gardens and farm manor have recently been restored to their former splendour and intended purpose as a venue for magnificent celebrations. The experience tours and festivals offered here are highly recommendable here for they allow would-be time-travellers the opportunity to explore the world of Prince Eugene and Empress Maria Theresa in a manner that is fascinating, exciting, and far more real than any museum.
As we cruise towards the north, ever further from Vienna, wide spaces, big skies and rolling hills open before us. The countryside becomes much more sparsely populated. One wonders what inspired this young, cosmopolitan woman to move from the exciting bustle of the Austrian capital to this lonely, rural place. “I met my husband just after we each finished our wine studies. I travelled a lot while working as a negociant. After we married, we decided to take over his family’s winery in Poysdorf. I truly appreciate the peace and unspoiled authenticity of this region. The people here are friendly, yet quiet, and when they do speak they certainly have very well-defined opinions! The Weinviertel Grüner Veltliner reflects the character of the people here: vibrant, harmonious, and distinctly peppery.”
We drive through romantic cellar alleys that typify the wine villages of the Weinviertel. Farmers used to make their wines in cellars dug deep and long into the loess slopes just steps away from their vines. Rows of rustic, colourfully painted little wooden doors now serve as places to store vineyard equipment and machinery. Professional vintners have long moved to more spacious and modern equipped quarters. A few of the cellars have been refurbished into quaint seasonal heuriger, that open during the harvest, when sturm – musty wine in its first stages of fermentation is served to thirsty tourists and vineyard labourers sharing vintage news and gossip.
“I’m not the only one who adores the Weinviertel,” exclaims Marion. “People from all over the world come here seeking rejuvenation and refuge from their busy lives. They visit the healing thermal waters of Laa an der Thaya and the spa hotels and vintner B&Bs in wine villages throughout the region. Restaurants with good regional wine lists, Buchingers Gasthaus zur Alte Schule or Zum Grünen Baum are much appreciated. My favourite wine bar is Wino in Poysdorf. ”
On all of our visits to eateries, whether simple rustic heuriger, country inn or elegant spa hotel restaurant, I am pleasantly surprised by the diversity of regional wines offered. “Half of Austria’s – no, half of the world’s Grüner Veltliner grows in the loess soils of the Weinviertel, but we have other grape varieties as well. Riesling also loves the primary rock and Pinot Blanc adores our limestone. Most of the base wine for Austria’s sparkling wine brands are sourced from our region’s crisp, refreshing Welschriesling. Everyone makes at least a few bottles of charming, fruity red from regional varieties and we even have a couple vintners specialized in sweet wines like Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein.”
This time, as we return to the car, it doesn’t start, but with Marion’s practical forethought, it is pointed downhill and we have an easy jump-start and coast stylishly into the historic wine city of Retz. Retz is famed for its 20 km labyrinth of wine cellars beneath the city. Fascinating tours of the vaults and wine tastings are offered daily.
The Weinviertel, Austria’s dreamy giant is peppered with many opportunities for rejuvenation in an unspoiled rural landscape. Simplicity and unspoiled authenticity make the Weinviertel a very luxurious place to escape modern day hectic and “go where the pepper grows”.
I have recently discovered a fabulous summer event here in Austria. If you know anyone traveling here, for example for the Salzburger Festspiele, let them know about the Baroque Costume Celebration in the Imperial Festival Palace Hof just 60 km east of Vienna on the border to Slovakia.
This is Austria’s largest rural palace complex and it has recently been restored to its former splendor and intended purpose as a venue for magnificent celebrations. The Imperial Festival Palace Hof is a magnificent Baroque ensemble with an exquisite palace, terraced garden and idyllic manor farm. You can explore the world of Prince Eugene and Empress Maria Theresa through a Baroque Costume Celebration on August 13th, 2011. Stunning costumes for the entire family are provided for rent. The programme starts at 6 PM with a musical welcome in the Palace’s Court of Honour. Music, dance performances, acrobatic stunts, equestrian art and carriage rides are offered well into the night. At dusk 6,000 candles are lit in the formal garden where you will enjoy culinary treats, including freshly baked bread from the wood stove, selected game dishes, and tempting desserts. Refreshing beverages and the region’s famous white wine, Grüner Veltliner from the Weinviertel appellation are offered from the Fountain Grotto. The evening culminates with spectacular fireworks.
I adore Grüner Veltliner. As much as I travel in the wine regions of the world and appreciate the diversity of wine, I am always eager to pour myself a glass of GV upon returning home to Austria. Grüner Veltliner and Austrian wine is an inspiring story of success – from underdog to darling of the wine world. The Grüner Veltliner book has appeared in its second addition – both in German and in English. I was co-author of all four books and editor of the two English editions.
You can find the book here.
Since 2002, I have worked closely with Peter Moser and Falstaff Publications as the English editor of the annual guide of Austrian wines called “The Ultimate Austrian Wine Guide”.
The guide can be odered here.
Gourmets in the USA call it “Grüner” and it is sipped in the chic, top restaurants from New York to San Francisco. Grüner Veltliner is now finding its way into American vineyards as well.
“Unique. Versatile. A culinary genius. The last of the great European grape varieties!” Ten years after its successful breakthrough in the USA, Grüner Veltliner remains the darling of the wine scene. The popularity of Austria’s leading wine variety in the land of boundless possibilities continues.
The export of Grüner Veltliner in the USA began at an ideal time. The market was saturated with faceless wines at the end of the 1990s. One spoke of the ABC syndrome – Anything But Chardonnay. And one also cried, “Anything but oak!” At this time Austrian vintners were in the process of discovering the potential of the variety to express a unique terroir. The glycol scandal of the 80s had catalysed giant leap in wine quality. Low yields and improved vinification methods brought a broad spectrum of Grüner Veltliner styles in a quality that had never before been experienced. It was only a question of time until thirsty American head hunters discovered the talented natural beauty.
Permanent Place in the Hall of Fame
Terry Theise of Michael Skurnik Wines said, “Grüner Veltliner is not just chic at the moment, it deserves a permanent place in the Hall of Fame of important grape varieties and a leading role among the wines to pair with food.” Its place of honour became guaranteed through praise from wine critics like Robert Parker and Stephen Tanzer as well as diverse wine magazines like Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.
The USA is one of the few growing wine markets in the world. Continued per capita consumption growth is predicted that would put the USA ahead of France, Italy and Spain. New vineyards are being planted in nearly every State. Because nearly no historic, cultural, or legal restrictions exist, the choice of grape variety is colourfully diverse. The number of Grüner Veltliner vines thriving in American soil is growing.
Pioneers on the East Coast
Many Europeans think that the only American wine comes from California. Only insiders know that there are great wines from Washington and Oregon as well. One might be tempted to claim that only European wine geeks know about the wonderful wines of the East Coast.
While many regions have established an identity with a particular variety – take Finger Lakes and Riesling, for example – other areas are still searching for a vine with which they can position their region. The vintner couple Ed Boyce and Sarah O’Herron from Black Ankle Winery in Maryland planted one thousand Grüner Veltliner vines in 2002. Sarah had fallen in love with the variety as she tasted a wine from the Martin Nigl Estate from the Krems Valley. They purchased their vines from a nursery in Massachusetts that has had Grüner Veltliner in its inventory since the 1970s. His Grüner Veltliner is lean, straight-forward and somewhat sauvignonesque with aromas of pear and fresh garden herbs. Ed is enthusiastic about the demand for the variety, but is not so thrilled about its performance in the extremely wet climate. Black rot makes his efforts with organic viticulture frustrating.
Herbert Zillinger, flying vineyard consultant from the Weinviertel in Austria
A vintner association on the central East Coast sees Grüner Veltliner as a promising possibility for the region. John Weygandt of Stargazers Vineyards and president of the Pennsylvania Quality Assurance Group invited the Weinviertel vintner Herbert Zillinger to their vintner conference. Zillinger spoke about the vinification of the variety and inspected several Grüner Veltliner vineyards. “For the most part, the yields on the East Coast are exceedingly high and they are harvesting much too early. The wines are also vinified far too reductively for my tastes. Despite this, the climatic and geological conditions, particularly in Pennsylvania, are similar to those in Austria. Tremendous potential certainly exists.”
Galen Glen Vineyards in Pennsylvania is situated at a fairly high elevation of 320m. Grüner Veltliner feels at home here in a slate slope. The decision to plant Grüner Veltliner was actually not even based on the affinity to terroir. Winemaker Sarah Troxell admits, “I read in Food & Wine magazine about how well Grüner Veltliner pairs with my favourite vegetable, white asparagus. After my husband Galen and I drank a wine from the Hirsch Estate, Grüner became our favourite variety.” The vines bring Galen and Sarah very healthy, aromatic fruit. After Herbert Zillinger’s motivating visit, further quality improvements are being made and another 2.5 hectares of Grüner Veltliner is planned.
Washington
Bob Betz MW of Betz Family Winery produces predominant red wine of premium quality from fruit that he obtains from the Columbia Valley on the other side of the Cascade Mountains. But right beside his front door in Woodinville near Seattle are 150 Grüner Veltliner vines. “I adore Grüner. It is a combination of crystal clear structure and intensity; its balance can simply not be exceeded. I will harvest my first GV in autumn 2009 and produce a few bottles just for myself and my friends. I will never be able to achieve the quality of Pichler, Alzinger or Bründlmayer here, but it would be possible in the Columbia Gorge.”
The Columbia River cuts a deep gorge in the volcanic Cascade Mountains on the east end of the Columbia Gorge AVA. Cool ocean winds rush through this river canyon. The vegetation on the west end is green and lush, but as one travels east, it grows dramatically warmer and drier. There are currently only around 120 ha of vines in this AVA, but the quality of the fruit is extaordinary. The vineyards are breathtakingly beautiful on both the Washington and on the Oregon side of the river. “2009 will be my third harvest with Grüner Veltliner from the Underwood Mountain Vineyard,” says Rich Cushman from Viento Winery in Hood River. “I press whole bunches and let the wine mature long on the fine lees. Grüner thrives wonderfully here and my clients just as enthusiastic as I am.” The vineyard is situated 400m above the river with a majestic view of the snow and glacier covered Mount Hood. The climate is harsher than in the Wachau and the slopes are dominated by basalt rather than primary rock. Perhaps this is the explanation for the unique exotic fruit and mineral components of the Viento Grüner Veltliner and from the neighbouring Syncline Winery.
Prayer Rock cellar door welcomes visitors for wine tasting
“We were the first to plant and produce Grüner Veltliner in Oregon,” says Stephen Reustle. Reustle and his wife Gloria moved from Pennsylvania to Umpqua Valley in south Oregon to establish Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards in 2001. After consultation with the experts Greg Jones and Dr. Richard Smart, they planted 14 hectares of vines where grapes had never before been planted. The vine material was sourced from University of California Davis and 1.5 ha of Grüner Veltliner was planted in a loam slope of 35° inclination. All of the vineyards have biblical names and were planted with the help of Reustle’s friends and church community. Umpqua Valley is situated east of the Cascades and protected from the wet influence of the Pacific making it a hot and dry area. But Prayer Rock is situated at 800m and a forest on the ridge of the mountain above the vineyard provides cool evening lee winds. Drip irrigation relieves stress. The result is a very typical Grüner Veltliner with refreshing acid, green apple fruit and a hint of pepper.
The Willamette Valley is situated on the other side of the Cascade Mountains and is world famed for its Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. There we discovered three wineries producing Grüner Veltliner in three different AVAs. The Raptor Ridge Winery planted their GV in a strip of loess in the Chehalem Mountains AVA and had their first harvest in 2009. Winemaker Scott Schull planted his vines with 5 meters between the rows and 1.5 m between the vines – he will hardly achieve the concentration of his role model Emmerich Knoll at this density.
Harry Peterson-Nedry of Chehalem wines, Photo (c) Marvin Collins
Harry Pederson-Nedry of Chehalem Wines is more experienced; he was the first to plant 22 ha of vines in what is today the Ribbon Ridge AVA in 1980. A unique soil composition of Basalt, marine limestone and loess called Willakenzie soil initially inspired him to plant Burgundian varieties. His newest baby is Grüner Veltliner which he planted over a consecutive three year period. Due to the fertile soil and the abundant rain of the region, he chose low-vigour roots for his vines and planted at 1m x 1.5m density. The first yield was small and only 40 cases were produced in 2008. These were immediately sold out and unfortunately, we could not taste it.
Daedalus Cellars was also convinced that the cool climate of the Willamette Valley would suit Grüner Veltliner. Pam Waldon and her husband Aaron Hess encountered the variety during their travels and work in Europe. The young couple was able to convince their growers in the Eola Hills near Salem to regraft ¾ of a hectare of Müller Thurgau to Grüner Veltliner. The first harvest was in 2007 and the wine was literally ripped out of their hands – people loved it. The young winemakers do not yet own their own vineyards. They would like to have not only the region’s dominant varieties Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, but also more Grüner Veltliner.
California
Rudi Strasser’s father was Austrian and his mother was from Hungary. It was this Austro-Hungarian heritage that inspired the Cabernet vintner to plant a couple Grüner Veltliner vines in 2003. The first harvest was experimental. Rudi underestimated Grüner Veltliner’s need for protein stabilisation with the second harvest and had to recall the few bottles that were initially sold. Despite this, the Californian’s curiosity had been stirred and the pre-oders for his Grüner Veltliner far exceeded his production capacity. For this reason Rudi von Strasser decided to donate a quantity of this wine to the Napa Valley Charity Auction and sell the rest exclusively in local restaurants. In the meantime the vineyard area has been expanded to 1 hectare. Still, Rudi views himself as a Cabernet Sauvignon specialist, “And besides, the soil and warm climate here in the Diamond Mountain AVA is predestined for red wines. Grüner will remain a little niche specialty.”
Richard Alfaro is new to the wine branch and quickly made a name for himself with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. His success is based on the unique terroir of the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA south of San Francisco. Richard and his wife Mary Kay purchased a 30 ha apple orchard and converted this to wine. Alfaro experience a “groovy epiphany” on a visit to Nikolaihof. As a result, the newest plantings are Grüner Veltliner. “I know that it will be easy to sell, but I swear my reasons are not only commercial. The life of a vineyard is long and you have to plan for the next generation. Grüner is not just a passing fashion. It is quite simply one of the very best grape varieties and accompanying wines to food.” As the eyes wander over the raw, mountainous terrain and one feels the cool breeze, one knows intuitively that Grüner Veltliner will feel at home here.
International Classic
There is still yet little track record for Grüner Veltliner production in the USA. As so often in young wine regions, vines are not initially always planted in their ideal soil and climate. There are presently only two main Grüner Veltliner clones available in the USA. The vine nurseries are supplied by the University of California Davis. In a couple of successful vineyards, for example the one at Galen Glen in Pennsylvania and in the Eola Hills near Salem, Oregon, it is not the Davis clones, but more likely “suitcase” clones of unclear origins that are cultivated. Experience still needs to be collected in the various vineyards and adjustment made. Experiments with vinification are also being made and methods perfected. Much of what Austrian vintners know and have practiced with the variety for generations still appears to be mysterious magic to colleagues in the USA. Austrian vintners should feel flattered by this admiration. Austrian Grüner Veltliner is seen as a role model on an international scale and can now be considered a true classic wine.