It's a GrüVee kind of love...

Grüner Veltliner: Austria's signature white grape accounts for one in every 3 vines in Austria. Call it "groovy" if you struggle with German language pronunciation. It's often called GrüVe for short, even by some of the savvy producers who know it's a bit of a mouthful for the non-linguists.
If you've never tasted this crisp white varietal before, you've been missing out. And now that summer is on the way, (and don't we all wish it would hurry up and get here), it might be time to pick up a bottle for those long, light evenings in the sun that are surely just around the corner.

So what's special about it?

For starters, it's got lots of juicy acidity and some people even feel the sensation of a slight spritz, though this is a still wine.  This makes it light and refreshing.

GrüVe can stand up to some of the most difficult to match spring and summer dishes, such as leafy green salads, fresh tomato & basil, peas, asparagus and even Spinach.  It is also a great companion for Thai Green Curry, and other lightly spiced dishes, Asian inspired prawn dishes, or even a bowl of mussels.   Sounds like you should have a bottle in your fridge, right?  
Its food-friendliness means it's appearing on more and more restaurant wine lists. And it's dining out that I've tended to drink this most. It's reliable, and can work for several different dishes. (I most recently had had an excellent example when we visited The Square over Easter.)

But what does it taste like?
Known for its white pepper notes, this is a spicy white with a bit of oomph.  Alongside crisp citrus, you'll find  tangy green apple, and perhaps some juicy pear or even peach, in particularly ripe examples, alongside minerality.

Which wine should you replace with this one?
Given it's spicy notes, it should appeal to black-peppery Shiraz fans looking for a lighter summer flavour. Unless you're the sort of red drinker who simply can't imagine ever drinking white, in which case, we'll deal with you another day.

If you're a summer Chablis fan, GrüVe has some mineral notes that may tickle your fancy. In fact, the renowned wine guru, Jancis Robinson has participated in a few blind tastings of GrüVe against Chardonnay, including top class Burgundy, and found 7/10 times, the Austrian wines took the judges' top scores.

Pinot Grigio fans should find it a bit more interesting & aromatic but still as light, refreshing, and zingy.  I'd love to hear from some Pinot Grigio drinkers about what you love in this grape, as I tend to find PG rather dull and a little bit like cat wee...  But given it's a huge seller, maybe that's just me.

Back to the GrüVe: Sauvignon Blanc fans will enjoy the green fruit flavours & the acidity.  You may find it easier to pair with food, if you're a New Zealand SB fan.  It shouldn't dominate with so much green.  You'll find it light and easy to drink on it's own too.

Austria isn't perhaps as renowned for wine as it should be. But it is producing some great wines, right now.  I'd recommend seeking out a Zweigelt if you prefer reds.

Felsner Grüner Veltliner (12.5%) £12.49 Waitrose

We're drinking the Felsner, available from Waitrose

Niederösterreich, the north-east part of Austria, sees one vine in every two planted as Grüner Veltliner. The silty-soiled slopes of the Kremstal, where our bottle originated, produces lovely ripe examples. 

At 12.5% alcohol, our Felsner also contains crisp citrus, green apple & conference pear notes alongside the white spice.  In terms of mouthfeel, the occasional spritz is not too evident here. It's medium bodied and feels refreshing, with some juicy conference pear along with the standard flavour profile (described left).

What's extra special about this one is that it's single-vineyard, hand-harvested and family produced. Often supermarket wines are more mass-produced from bulk grapes bought in from various farmers, but Manfred Felsner's family-owned propertyhas a reputation as one of the quality-concious producers in the region.

Yes, it's £12.49 so it's not perhaps what you pick up on a Tuesday night, but I think what you get compares well with a white Burgundy. which might cost you £15 or even more, and, in this case, I think you get what you pay for.

It comes in a screw cap bottle which when re-sealed kept the wine fresh for a second night.

GiVe it a try!

Cheers!