Grüner Veltliner — Austria's Signature White Wine

Also spelled Gruner Veltliner in English (the proper German spelling uses an umlaut: Grüner).

If Austria has one wine that introduced itself to the world, it's Grüner Veltliner — or Gruner Veltliner, as it's often written outside German-speaking countries. Austria's most-planted grape (roughly a third of the country's vineyards) and the white wine that put Austrian winemaking on the international map in the 1990s.

We currently stock 9 Gruner Veltliners across our range — from the classic peppery house style to premium single-vineyard, traditional-method Sekt, low-intervention Pet-Nat and even orange wine. All sourced directly from the small family producers we work with year-round at the Kipferl restaurant in Camden Passage.

What Gruner Veltliner Tastes Like

Gruner Veltliner — affectionately nicknamed "GruVee" in the US market — has a flavour profile that's hard to confuse with any other white grape:

• Crisp green apple and citrus on the nose
• White peach, apricot in fuller-bodied versions
• A signature white pepper note on the finish — Austrians call it Pfefferl
• Mineral, fresh, food-friendly — the sommelier's safe bet

It's dry, food-loving and crucially sits in a sweet spot between Sauvignon Blanc's overt aromatics and Chablis' minerality. If you like both, you'll love a Gruner Veltliner.

The Four Styles in Our Range

1. Classic & Easy-Drinking — fresh, light, peppery, food-friendly. Best young (1–3 years). Our Gruner Veltliner DAC from Zuschmann-Schöfmann is the gateway.

2. Premium Single-Vineyard — fuller-bodied, age-worthy expressions from specific vineyard sites. Our Löss (Zuschmann-Schöfmann), Anno Dazumal (Weixelbaum), Seeberg (Matthias Hager) and Ried Gaisberg Reserve (Weixelbaum) showcase this.

3. Sparkling (Sekt) — Gruner Veltliner makes some of Austria's most serious sparkling wine. Our Gruner Veltliner Sekt Grosse Reserve from Zuschmann-Schöfmann is made in the traditional method and drinks as seriously as good Champagne for half the price.

4. Natural — Pet-Nat & Orange — modern, low-intervention winemaking. Our Petnat Gruner Veltliner from Matthias Hager plus orange Gruner Veltliners from Hager (Vielfalt) and Bauer (Hollötrio) show what the grape can do when left to its own devices.

The Regions

Gruner Veltliner is grown across Austria but is most associated with four regions, three of which we represent:

• Weinviertel ("wine quarter") — Austria's largest wine region, north of Vienna. The classic crisp, peppery house style.
• Kamptal — slightly fuller, more mineral, often with longer aging potential.
• Wachau — the premier league of Austrian wine. Steep terraced vineyards on the Danube.
• Kremstal — Wachau's neighbour, similar precision.

Food Pairing

Gruner Veltliner is famously food-friendly — the sommelier's go-to when they don't know what's coming next. Particularly excellent with:

• Wiener Schnitzel — the classic pairing in Austria
• Sushi and Asian food — the mineral backbone handles soy, ginger, chilli
• Asparagus — the rare white wine that doesn't clash
• Roast chicken, pork, white fish
• Fresh goat cheese

How to Serve

Cold but not freezing — around 8–10°C for the classic style. The premium single-vineyard and aged expressions benefit from slightly warmer (10–12°C) to let the body and aromatics emerge. Use a slightly larger glass for the Reserve wines.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell Gruner Veltliner?
The proper Austrian spelling is Grüner Veltliner (with an umlaut over the u). In English markets, the umlaut is often dropped because it's not on standard English keyboards, so you'll commonly see it written as Gruner Veltliner. Both refer to the same wine.

How do you pronounce Gruner Veltliner?
GROO-ner velt-LEE-ner.

Is Gruner Veltliner dry?
Yes — Gruner Veltliner is almost always made in a dry style. Sweet versions are rare.

What does Gruner Veltliner taste like?
Green apple, citrus and white pepper, with mineral freshness. Crisp, dry, food-friendly.

Can Gruner Veltliner age?
Yes — premium single-vineyard expressions (Reserve, Erste Lage) can age 5–15 years, developing honey, dried fruit and toast notes.

What food pairs with Gruner Veltliner?
Wiener Schnitzel, sushi, asparagus, roast chicken, white fish, fresh goat cheese. One of the most food-friendly whites in the world.

Where is Gruner Veltliner from?
Austria — particularly Weinviertel, Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal. Small plantings exist in Slovakia, Hungary and Germany.

What's the difference between Gruner Veltliner and Roter Veltliner?
Despite the name, they're different grapes. Gruner Veltliner is Austria's most-planted white. Roter Veltliner is much rarer (only ~195 hectares planted worldwide) and produces a different style of wine. See our Roter Veltliner from Weixelbaum.

Every wine selected by Hubert & The Kipferl Team 

Every Gruner Veltliner in our range comes directly from the small family producers we work with year-round at the Kipferl restaurant. No supermarket wines. No corporate brands. Just real Austrian Gruner Veltliner from named producers, shipped UK-wide.

Mix freely across our Gruner Veltliner range and the rest of our Austrian wines for 10% off any 6 bottles, or 15% off any 12. Or explore the wider Austrian White Wines and full Austrian wine range.