Gruner Veltliner in Oz - your thoughts

[Jay60A]

I don't do "fashionable" in any way, and the number of decent Pinot Gris (or Grigios, whatever) I have ever tasted can be counted on one hand. However ...

The last year I have been drinking quite a few Gruner Veltliners from Austria, and they are stonking wines that you should get into. Tonight is a supermarket wine "Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Austian Gruner Veltliner Traisental 2008" from Weingut Huber (nothing but the best y'know). It was a random buy and about six quid but it's stunning value. Peachy and aromatic nose, underpinned by taught acid, minerals and limes. Bone dry, long, it will mix it with some *very* good Australian riesling yet is half the price (to be fair some supermarket Oz Riesling like Tesco "Tingelup" is a Great Southern wine made by Howard Park and is as good as this).

Didn't come here to big up Austria per se but to say that the flavour profile suggests this grape would do very well indeed in the best Australian riesling areas like Clare, Eden Valley, maybe Henty or Tasmania. I know there are a few lurkers (and winemakers) out there who can suggest how Gruner Veltliner will do in Oz? Is it being planted and what's the word on the street?

[Nayan]

I know that Hahndorf Hill are planning their first commercial release of GV with the 2010 vintage. I'm not sure who else in Oz is running with it at the moment, but there are a number of NZ wineries also planning releases with the coming vintage.

[Wizz]

Coopers Creek in NZ have been doing one since 2008 I think,

[via collins]

There's a Hesketh Gruner Veltliner that I believe lays claim to be the first commercially available GV in Oz. I still haven't sighted one but will grab as soon as I do.

The wine is showing up more and more on Melbourne tables, had the Laurenz "Very Friendly" GV at Gingerboy last week, great wine for the food there I thought.

[pstarr]

The Heskth GV is an import - not made from GV grapes grown in Australia.

AFAIK, the first domestic GV was that released by Lark Hill from the 2009 vintage. I have not tried it, but there was a strong Halliday review (94 points), and an interesting back story. The source vine material was actually from Tasmania (not a recent import from Austria or elsewhere) that Chris Carpenter from Lark Hill tracked down. A bit of driving and propagating later, baby GV vines are in the ground at Lark Hill. I think there were a few barrels made in 2009 and suspect there might be more this year (vintage depending).

[Bick]

Coopers Creek in NZ have been doing one since 2008 I think,

Yep, CC are pioneering a few of the less common varieties. Their "little Rascal" arneis is very nice. They also do a chard/viognier blend that's a little unusual. Not yet had their 'gru-vee'. Anyone else tried it?

[via collins]

Thanks Paul, I pulled that reference to Hesketh for the scattered back of my mind, not the fact file.

I read the Lark's Hill reference by Halliday too, and will now be on the hunt for that one instead.

[mmeyer]

The Heskth GV is an import - not made from GV grapes grown in Australia.

AFAIK, the first domestic GV was that released by Lark Hill from the 2009 vintage. I have not tried it, but there was a strong Halliday review (94 points), and an interesting back story. The source vine material was actually from Tasmania (not a recent import from Austria or elsewhere) that Chris Carpenter from Lark Hill tracked down. A bit of driving and propagating later, baby GV vines are in the ground at Lark Hill. I think there were a few barrels made in 2009 and suspect there might be more this year (vintage depending).

I know GV are in Tasmania as one wine owner last week told me he had planted some but they died-when I asked if any GV are in Tasmania.

[DaveB]

There is a bit of GV being planted or slated for release in the not so distant future....rumor has it, one soon to be released under Vin-lok which should give some clue to the producer.