Petra Unger Gruner Veltliner Gottschelle Reserve 2011

Winery: Petra Unger

Varietal: Gruner Veltliner

The pale skinned green grapes of the Gruner Veltliner varietal have been grown in and around central Europe for several centuries, and are a very important and popular grape with smallholders and those who produce the house wines which are typical of the region. They are grown extensively on the cool, windy hillsides of Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia, where they are admired for their ability to express the mineral-rich nature of the terroir they thrive in. Gruner Veltliner is a highly versatile varietal, capable of producing excellent still and sparkling wines, as well as beautifully rounded and subtle aged wines which are packed full of interesting and unique flavors Most commonly, they are associated with the flavors of citrus fruits, peaches, tobacco and white pepper.

Country: Austria

For over four thousand years, Austria has been home to some of Europe's finest wines, with a strong domestic wine industry which is beginning to be once again recognized for its world class quality. All over the eastern part of the country, and even in the capital, Vienna, small wineries are working with the grape varietals which flourish in the country's hot summer climate and mineral rich soils, fed by the Danube and other great rivers which cross the flat lands of this part of Austria. Most commonly, wineries work with the Grüner Veltliner grapes which grow so well here, and produce the dry and elegant white wines which typify Austria's viticultural produce. However, many other fine grape varietals are grown and used for a wide range of wine styles, including some extremely interesting sweet white wines similar to those found in neighboring Hungary.