Black Velvet
THE BRIGHT ACIDITY AND SPICY KICK OF THE GRAPE WORKS WELL WITH MOST FOOD, BUT MORE SO WITH ASIAN CUISINE
In Vino Veritas. In wine there is truth. And music too, especially if you are talking about the Grüner Veltliner. How can you not love Grüner Veltliner? This grape variety is the liquid complement to Austrian classical music. Just like genres in music vary so do varietals with this grape: from light, like Johann Strauss II ( The Blue Danube), to the more compact and versatile music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Wine has been an integral part of Austria's culture for more than two thousand years. Even today, you will fine Roman cellars, medieval villages and Baroque monasteries throughout the Austrian wine regions.
In Austria, winemaking is a generational occupation with mainly smallscale family wineries; it has long been white grapes planted. This wine can sate the pleasures of varying palates: from light- bodied, fruity, easy drinking wines to full- bodied, complex, and age- worthy wines. Grüner Veltliner is a reasonably aromatic grape variety and classic aromas include stone fruit, citrus, grass, lentils, fresh green beans, spice and white pepper ( called Pfefferl in the Austrian dialect).
At the dining table Grüner Veltliner is engagingly flexible, but never overwhelms with powerful aromas. In my opinion, the aspects to think about are the bright acidity and slightly spicy kick of the grape, which works with most food varieties, but more specifically it pairs very well with spicy Asian dishes.
The lighter fruity styles are perfect for simple sipping or to pair with the common for grandparents, parents and children to work together under the same roof. This secures the easy and convenient transfer of skill and passion from generation to generation.
The exciting range of Austrian wines is enhanced by the different types of soil, such as the rocky Danube terraces, the massive layers of loess in Weinviertel, and the volcanic soil found in the Kamptal. While Grüner Veltliner is cultivated all over Austria, its heart is in lower Austria ( Niederosterreich), and especially in the sub- regions of the Wachau, Weinviertel, Kamptal and Kremstal, where vineyards planted on top sites enable Grüner Veltliner to be its best.
Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s most important white grape variety, accounting for around one third of all more complex flavours and textures of Asian cuisine. The more classic and fuller- bodied, mineral- driven styles hold their own at the table with various fish, pork and poultry dishes. Here, the signature bright acidity helps cut through any fat and the spiciness provides a delightful contrast as well as a fine compliment to a wide range of dishes.
Let’s hope that Grüner Veltliner will be the next New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This could make it a real global grape and it could, and in my opinion should, achieve as much fame as Sauvignon Blanc.
Grüner Veltliner—“The grape which will make you smile” Prost!