Hang onto your seats, because we’ve got a new grape variety coming at all you terroir fans out there – Roter Veltliner. I would guess that you probably can figure this one out – Veltliner, specifically Gruner Veltliner, is the main grape variety of Austria. And having come that far, you can pop “Gruner” into Google translate to learn that it means “green.” Thus, you can probably come to the final conclusion that Roter Veltliner means Red Veltliner – without any of my commentary. So what I am here for? To tell you of the marvelous taste: Roter Vetliner is a pink-skinned variety that makes, in the words of The Oxford Campanion to Wine, “powerful white wine… intensely aromatic, concentrated wines with high extract.” I would agree, and in the hands of the Leth family, this is not just bold and powerful white wine, it’s also fun-loving and frisky too! There is simply nothing not to like – The wine opens with red fruit aromas (yes, it’s a white wine that expresses red fruit) of ripe cherries and raspberries along with notes of blood orange and the orchard fruits of peach and apricot. On the palate, this wine is weightier than your typical Gruner Veltliner, making it a touch rich and darn good as a cocktail. But this isn’t to say it’s too weighty or won’t go with food. I frankly don’t know of any Austrian wine that is “out of balance.” The finish is lengthy and mineral, and whether it’s a warm summer night or a crisp fall one, here is a wonderful white wine to share with friends and family. Roter Veltliner is actually the parent grape to many of Austria’s wines – including Gruner Veltliner. It used to be more widely planted, but now it is a specialty of the Wagram, where the Leth family calls home. Actually, it’s three families. I don’t know how they do it, but brother, brother and sister all cooperatively run the show, along with a son and his wife thrown in the mix. The front man is Franz Leth, who does all of the presenting of the wines (between occasionally arguing with his son over the winemaking). Only in Austria could a small, family-run business support three entire families. Go team! And here is one of their family specialties. This is delicious wine, and we received a small allocation. Don’t miss it!
