Rudi Pichler Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Hochrain 2008 750ml

Winery: Rudi Pichler

Varietal: Gruner Veltliner

Gruner Veltliner is a pale skinned white wine grape varietal most closely associated with central European countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In recent years, it has spread somewhat to several New World countries, where it is becoming gradually more popular and regularly seen in wine stores. One of the main attractions of this grape varietal for winemakers is the fact that it is highly versatile, and can be used for the production of several different wine styles, including young, dry white wines, excellent sparkling wines, and it is also a grape varietal which is well suited for aging Gruner Veltliner has the ability to express much of its terroir, and the best examples are generally those which are full of delightfully mineral-rich flavors alongside the more usual notes of citrus fruits and peach.

Region: Wachau

As with almost all of the central European wine regions, the Austrian region of Wachau was first used for cultivating grapevines on a large scale by the Romans, two thousand years ago. Today, it remains a vitally important wine region, and is by far the most respected and widely adored region of Austria, with the wineries of Wachau enjoying their reputation for excellence and elegance when it comes to the superb wines they produce each year. The mighty river Danube that runs through the Wachau vineyards provides adequate moisture and plenty of minerals and nutrients for the region's grapes, and the warm climate helps the Riesling and Gruner Veltliner varietals which flourish there ripen slowly and fully, resulting in flavorful and characterful wines of real distinction.

Country: Austria

Archaeological evidence suggests that grapevines have been grown and cultivated in what is today modern Austria for over four thousand years, making it one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world. Over the centuries, relatively little has changed in Austrian wine, with the dominant grape varietals continuing to be Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and others. Austria is renowned for producing excellent and characterful dry white wines, although in the eastern part of the country, many wineries specialist in sweeter white wines made in a similar style to those of neighboring Hungary. Today, Austria has over fifty thousand hectares under vine, split over four key wine regions. The domestic wine industry remains strong, with Austrians drinking their local produce outside in the summer, and people around the world are beginning to once more rediscover this fascinating and ancient wine culture.