Austria’s Gruner Veltliner seems to have found a second home in the Adelaide Hills. Although plantings are relatively young as yet, the wines that have been released thus far indicate strong potential for the variety.
Some may argue ‘why bother?’, but the point is that Gruner Veltliner is a great grape with wonderful freshness that works very well on the dinner table. As such, it is a wonderful counterpoint to Riesling, countering Riesling’s citrusy freshness with a sprinkling of dill and twist of white pepper.
This example reinforces the potential of Gruner Veltliner in the Adelaide Hills. Gently aromatic and subtly flavoured, it possesses textbook varietal characters. The only (very minor) downside is up-front fruit sweetness, which detracts ever so slightly.
2016 DEVIATION ROAD GRUNER VELTLINERProducer: Deviation Road
Variety: Gruner Veltliner
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 10 June 2017
Tasting Note:
Pale greenish yellow. Varietally correct nose of grapefruit pith, ground white pepper and pear. Medium bodied, moderate fruit intensity – greenish but certainly not under-ripe in feel. Decent length. All in all, a solid representation of Gruner, but touch of fruit sweetness (not residual sugar) is slightly off-putting.
Score: 16/20
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