View source for Grüner Veltliner

'''Grüner Veltliner''' (/ˈɡryːnɐ ˈfɛltliːnɐ/; German for “green Veltliner”) is a white [[grape variety]] regarded as the flagship of Austrian [[viticulture]]. The variety accounts for a significant share of the country’s [[vineyard]] plantings and is particularly associated with the regions along the [[Danube]] such as [[Wachau]], [[Kamptal]] and [[Kremstal]].<ref>Robinson (ed.), ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'', Oxford University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-0198705383.</ref>

== Background ==
The origins of Grüner Veltliner were clarified in the late 20th century when DNA research identified its parentage as a crossing of [[Traminer]] and [[St. Georgener Rebe]], a nearly extinct [[Austria|Austrian]] variety.<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', HarperCollins, 2012.</ref> Though cultivated for centuries, its rise to prominence came only after the mid-20th century, when improved viticultural techniques and controlled yields replaced earlier associations with neutral bulk wine. Today, it represents around one third of Austria’s vineyard area, making it the most widely planted grape in the country.<ref>Johnson & Robinson, ''The World Atlas of Wine'', 8th ed., Mitchell Beazley, 2019.</ref>

== Characteristics ==
Grüner Veltliner is a vigorous and high-yielding vine, requiring careful [[canopy management]] to achieve concentration. It is sensitive to site conditions, performing best on loess [[soils]] but also expressing notable minerality on primary rock [[terrace|terraces]] of the [[Wachau]].<ref>Steidl, ''Grüner Veltliner: Österreichs Paradewein'', Falstaff, 2010 (German).</ref>  

In sensory terms, the wines often show green [[apple (note)|apple]], [[citrus (note)|citrus]], [[white pepper (note)|white pepper]] and [[herbal (note)|herbal]] notes, with riper examples offering stone fruit and tropical nuances. The grape has a natural affinity for [[acidity]], which contributes to freshness and [[ageing]] potential. Body and structure vary according to style, from light, early-drinking wines to [[full-bodied]] expressions capable of decades of [[maturation]].

== Use in winemaking ==
The stylistic range of Grüner Veltliner is wide. At one end are crisp, unoaked wines made for youthful consumption, often bottled in [[screwcap|screwcaps]]. At the other, leading producers vinify low-yielding fruit in large neutral [[oak casks]] to produce structured, long-lived wines.<ref>Johnson & Robinson, ''The World Atlas of Wine'', 8th ed., Mitchell Beazley, 2019.</ref>  

The variety is closely linked with Austria’s quality wine classifications, particularly DAC regions such as Kamptal and Kremstal. Outside Austria, it has found plantings in [[Central Europe]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and the [[United States]], though on a smaller scale.<ref>Robinson (ed.), ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'', Oxford University Press, 2015.</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Austria]]  
* [[Grape varieties]]    

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Grape varieties]]  
[[Category:Wine regions]]
[[Category:Austrian wine]]