I love Austrian wine bottles. Their elegant curves and long necks make them look like art nouveau poster models. Plus, their length makes them handy for filling people’s glasses at distance over a large table. I mean, just look at this slinky Markus Huber Grüner Veltliner, posing seductively on a tray I bought for three Euros in a tourist shop in Montmartre.
Dry, light and refreshing (although not particularly aromatic), Grüner Veltliner is by far the most widely produced wine in Austria. This one’s from the small designated region (or DAC, to use the local acronym) of Traisental. Also known for its Riesling production, Traisental is on roughly the same latitude as northern Burgundy, making it a cool-to-moderate climate for vineyards.
Despite the label’s promise of peach flavours, my tastebuds found this overwhelmingly appley. And in this way it reminded me of another “green” wine — vinho verde from Portugal. But… what makes Grüner Veltliner so distinctive is its pepperiness. And on the nose, this one’s like stewed apple and celery, with a light dusting of white pepper — which I promise is more pleasant than it sounds. Very refreshing and, especially at its current reduced price of £7.99, very good value.
4 NINJA STARS
Markus Huber Grüner Veltliner 2016. £10.79 (reduced at the time of writing to £7.99), 12.5% vol.
The Wine Ninjas 
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