Gruner Veltliner

As the token “wine friend”, I’m often asked for advice - sent frantic photos of wine lists at restaurants, consulted on a special bottle to gift, or perhaps most frequently, asked “what should I bring to a party?”. And my answer is always the same, gruner veltliner.

Affectionately known as “gruner”, this Austrian white wine varietal is easy to love, and even harder to hate. Most wine in America is consumed within two hours of purchase, and I imagine many of those bottles are bought for this exact occasion - going over to a friend’s house for a casual get-together (or even a book club meet-up?). And when you show up, you want something easy, uncontroversial, and dare I say, bipartisan? We’ve all had enough of the oaked v. unoaked chardonnay debate.

So, when you ask me the question “what should I bring to a party?”, there is only one answer: gruner. Why? Flavor profile, consistency, and general “likeability” by 10 out of 10 people in my highly unscientific study. Gruner veltliner is native to Austria and indigenous varietals always offer a unique story to share. It’s got a light, citrus & fresh pear character with acidity like fresh-squeezed lemonade but an herbaceous, white pepper finish to keep things interesting. The wine tastes fresh, with a sense of minerality you can’t quite put your finger on but keeps drawing you in for another sip. Perhaps most importantly, it’s reliable. Yes, there are some truly fantastic gruners out there (Bernhard Ott comes to mind if you want to explore what this grape can really do). But what’s even more special is how truly delightful any basic bottle of gruner veltliner from any local wine shop can be. Pro Tip: due to a pretty nefarious antifreeze wine scandal in the 1980s, Austria has some of the strictest wine laws in the world. You can be assured that the wine you are drinking is exactly what you read on the label, and generally poison-free.  

The final piece-de-resistance, gruner veltliner often comes in 1L bottles, a historical attribute of the region, which seals its fate as Ashley’s go-to party wine. 25% more? Yes please. Give it a try, bring it to your next soiree and see whose bottle gets empty first (the only wine-based competition that really matters).

In the months ahead, Appellation Ashley will become your token wine friend and chat about all things wine: recommendations, book & wine pairings, travel tips, and more. So tell me what you’d like to see next in the comments! Currently reading The Song of Achilles, we may need a Greek Wine 101 soon.