Taste: Great structure with layers of honey and toast added to the grape’s natural citrus and stone fruit flavors and trademark white pepper spiciness. Pronounced mineral notes reflect the soils where the vines are grown.
Body: Full
Dry / Sweet: Dry
Acidity: Medium to high
Age: The top wines need five to ten years to reach their full potential and can last considerably longer.
Description
While the vast majority of Grüner Veltliner (GROO-ner VELT-lee-ner) is young and refreshing (see youthful Grüner Veltliner in the Crisp style) the highest quality wines are made in the Rich style. These wines age beautifully, developing great structure and complexity with layers of honey and toast added to their citrus and stone fruit flavors and trademark white pepper spiciness. They are full and rich in body, without being heavy, and can express pronounced mineral notes.
Only the finest fruit, usually from older vines, grown on the best vineyard sites is used to make these wines, which gives them a creamy texture. They generally have alcohol levels above 12.5%. The most renowned areas for these top wines are the Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) sub-regions of Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal, where the unique terroir of the steep south-facing terraces on the banks of the river Danube give these wines great mineral expression and complexity.
They generally need five to ten years to reach their full potential and can last considerably longer. At their best they are world class and can rival the top white wines of Burgundy. As there is very strong local demand for these top quality wines, the prices are generally very high.
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