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It’s important to distinguish between Austria and Australia; for some reason, many people appeared confused with these two countries despite them being spelled differently, one being a land-locked Central European nation, and the other being a large continent in the Southern Hemisphere.
A popular T-shirt design in Austria
However, both Austria and Australia share similarities, including that they are both wine-producing nations. Austria has a wine history dating back several thousand years, while Australia’s wine heritage is but a mere two centuries. Australia has some 164,000 hectares of land under grapes, while Austria has just 46,500 heactares. Oh, there are no kangaroos in Austria, and Mozart never lived at Bondi Beach.
Having cleared up these misconceptions, it’s appropriate to zero in on the extraordinary wines of Austria, which are making their presence known on discerning Malaysian wine lists. Some may ask why Austria, while others will reply that it’s about time this is happening.
AN AUSTRIAN PERSPECTIVE
Over a few thousands of years of making wine, Austrian winemakers have honed their craft and, in the past 40 years, have been skillfully taking these wines to international markets.
Realising it needed a point of difference, the Austrian Wine Board introduced several indigenous grape varieties to the world of wine. The varieties they champion are Grüner Veltliner (white), along with Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch (both reds). And, here is one of the hurdles they had to jump: the Germanic names can be challenging for some consumers. In many situations, restaurant patrons invariably choose a familiar wine that they know, and whose name they can pronounce, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. This is despite both these wines, and many more, being French in origin, and which don’t appear to present too many problems in their pronunciation.
Our point is, persevere with the Austrian varieties, and their Germanic linguistic roots, you won’t be disappointed as all their three leading varieties are well worth discovering. It’s worth noting that 40 grape varieties (26 whites and 14 reds) are planted in Austria. Wisely, the Austrians champion the leading three in the belief that interest will eventually flow through to the other varieties such as Neuberger, Muskateller, Roter Veltliner, Rotgipfler, Furmint, Sankt Laurent (St. Laurent), Blauer Wildbacher, and Rathay.
Grapevines thrive in the rich alluvial soil beside the Danube River near Spitz
A WINE FOR CONNOISSEURS
Grüner Veltliner, what many Americans simply refer to as ‘grooner’, accounts for 33% of all grape plantings in Austria. It is deservedly the star of the Austrian wine world and worthy of attention, especially in Asia where it pairs perfectly with many Asian cuisines and dishes. These wines display crisp acidity, concentrated flavour, subtle spice, voluptuous texture and vibrant minerality. Descriptive words for this variety include spicy, peppery and fruity. Along with Riesling, Grüner Veltliner thrives in in the northern part of the country (Niederösterreich) in regions such as the Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, and Weinviertel. Production intensified in the 1950s when legendary winemaker Lenz Moser introduced the high training system into his vineyard. This revolutionised grape production, and ultimately raised the quality of the wine.
View from the Hellingenstein over Zöbing and vineyards in Kamptal DOC
Laurenz V (Laurenz Five) is a company that only produces Grüner Veltliner, so it was logical that we should look at three of their wines that are available in Malaysia. In 2004, three wine enthusiasts, Dieter Huebler, Franz Schweiger, and Laurenz M. Moser V, joined forces. Laurenz V was named after one of the founding partners, Laurenz Moser the fifth, the grandson of legendary Austrian winemaking pioneer Lenz Moser. While Moser is no longer associated with the company, the other two pioneering partners are taking their wines to welcoming global markets.
The winemaking and marketing team at Laurenz V Kamptal
Three of the Laurenz V stable are sampled here and compared with another Grüner Veltliner style produced in the estate of Weinrieder from the Weinviertel region. All these wines are available in Malaysia, but like many pioneering styles, seeking them out is almost as exciting an adventure as sampling them. Visitors to Penang can enjoy them in Christoph’s Restaurant or order them from Cru Asia (www.cruasia.com).
Laurenz V Singing Grüner Veltliner 2022
Does it sing? You be the judge
Laurenz V has been instrumental in propelling Grüner Veltliner into the international spotlight. The grapes for the Singing Grüner Veltliner are sourced from Kamptal in Lower Austria and the wine is crafted in Zöbing by fourth generation winemaker, Peter Schweiger. This region is regarded as being the cradle of Austria’s signature white grape variety and its famous Heiligenstein is the epicentre of viticulture. Here, Grüner grapes ripen in granite, gneiss, mica-slate as well as loess soils. Cool air streams from the north and results in a significant day and night temperature difference, which slows the ripening of the grapes. This diurnal range makes the wines taste fresh and fruity. Hand harvesting nurtures this fruitiness and the resultant wine yields apple, peach and citrus aromas along with a typical spiciness including a hint of white pepper. The soft and juicy palate is supported by fine acidity. Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or with fried dim sum, stir-fried seafood or tempura seafood.
Producer: Laurenz V
Style: Singing
Region: Kamptal DAC
Vintage: 2022
Grape Varieties: Grüner Veltliner
Alcohol Content: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: RM106
Laurenz V Charming Grüner Veltliner 2020
Laurenz V Charming
The grapes for this very charming wine are grown in the Kamptal region in similar soils as the Singing Grüner Veltliner. Due to the cooler nights in the Kamp Valley (a tributary of the Danube), the grapes produce a wine with ripe fruit and vibrant acidity. It has a fruity and harmonious palate that shows vitality and longevity with cellaring. Laurenz V has just begun releasing older vintages of this style such as 2005 for connoisseurs to appreciate the aging potential of the variety. Aromas of ripe apples and a typical Veltliner spiciness combine to create a fascinating fruit bouquet. On the palate, the wine is soft and juicy, supported by fine fruit acidity. This wine harmonises with seafood, chicken dishes, salads or vegetables. It provides the perfect pairing for the classic Austrian dish, Wiener schnitzel.
Producer: Laurenz V
Style: Charming Reserve
Region: Kamptal DAC
Vintage: 2020
Grape Varieties: Grüner Veltliner
Alcohol Content: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: RM160
L5 Grüner Veltliner 2017
Laurenz V L5
The ‘grand cru’ of the Laurenz stable, L5 is produced from old Grüner vines. These grapes are hand-picked and then carefully pressed to retain character and quality. After fermentation, the wine rested on the lees for several months in stainless steel tanks to add complexity and texture before it was further aged for 18 months in French oak barriques. It is a Grüner with exotic fruit characters of cinnamon, vanilla and juicy tropical fruits. The wine has an herbal spice finish with minerality and a subtle oakiness on the palate. With an annual production of just 400 cases, it’s understandable that this is the estate’s premium Grüner. It is a wine of longevity and is well worth cellaring for a few years if you can resist the temptation to drink it earlier. Being more full-bodied than the previous two styles, this is a wine to pair with hearty cream-based sauces (lobster Thermidor or dishes with salted egg), game, or veal.
Producer: Laurenz V
Style: L5
Region: Kamptal DAC
Vintage: 2017
Grape Varieties: Grüner Veltliner
Alcohol Content: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: RM240
Weinrieder Grüner Veltliner Klassik 2021
Weinrieder
Weinrieder is located in the Weinviertel region with grapes for this wine grown on south-facing slopes to maximise the sunlight onto the vines. The region is known for its peppery Grüners and it is well respected globally as it was the first in the country to adopt an appellation system to maintain the highest standards for its wines. The Austrian appellation system is known as Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC). The wine is bright yellow with a youthful green glow. It has aromas of ripe apple, quince and hints of peach. The rich texture is well balanced by the juicy and lively acidity. It is very elegant with a long and round finish, and is a delicious and classic example of a Grüner Veltliner from the Weinviertel. It makes a perfect pairing for fish, seafood, and poultry as well as traditional Austrian dishes such as schnitzel or würst (sausage). For a full-bodied and creamy Grüner, we suggest you seek out the Weinrieder Lukas 2019 (RM260). It has a nice long finish with depth and mineral notes to make it a very good, creamy, warm and spicy wine.
Producer: Weinrieder
Style: Grüner Veltliner Klassik
Region: Weinviertel DAC
Vintage: 2021
Grape Varieties: Grüner Veltliner
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: RM106
This article contributed by David Bowden
Vines above Langenlois, Kamptal
Some Grüner Veltliners are matured in oak in estates such Schloss Gobelsburg”}]]
