Roter Veltliner Wagram
75cl * 13% ABV * Organic * Wagram, Austria
Roter Veltliner is the indigenous variety of the Wagram wine district (just east of Vienna) and many think that the 'King (of) Roter' is Bernhard Ecker, who is at the helm of Ecker Eckhof alongside his wife Alexandra. This makes Bernhard the 11th generation to run the estate, which now has over 420 years of winemaking heritage behind it. They are also fully organic, with Bernhard pointing out that that they have “some of the cleanest air in the world so why ruin it?”
Wagram is a loess cliff up to 40 meters high that was formed from ice age deposits from the primordial sea, Loess being a quartz-rich, powdery but fertile soil. The “terroir” here also relies on two prevailing winds: in the daytime, the Pannonian brings warm air from the East and at night, cool air flows down from the Mannhartsberg in the North. This means lovely days walm enough to ripen the fruit, combined with cool nights that maintain the fruit’s natural acidity.
There are just 200 hectares of Roter Veltliner planted in the world (90% of which are in Wagram), and Bernhard is the custodian of 24 of them. Whilst Gruner (green) Veltliner tends to give pear & apple notes, Roter (red) Veltiner gives, in Bernhard’s words, “nearly everything the fruit basket has to offer”. Roter gets its name from the grape’s small, tight bunches which are pinkish when ripe, but oddly contain no anthocyanins (red pigments), therefore making it a white wine. It’s unpopular with wine growers as it’s very suspectable to frost and fungus, and therefore a very demanding crop. But it has more freshness and a richer mouthfeel than Gruner, making it a great pairing to fondue, classic Austrian dishes such as Wiener Schnitzel and dumplings, Asian fusion foods, poultry (especially chicken in a creamy sauce) or grilled trout.
This is the perfect wine for springtime, when we find ourselves reaching for something fresh and fruity to wean us off of those winter warmers that have sustained us through the colder months. And there's something about Roter Veltliner that just seems so right when the countryside shows the first signs of greenery and flowers. Aromas of honeydew melon, papaya, peach and acacia honey are followed by a wine that is crisp and dry on the palate, with green fruit and peach notes. Lively, zesty, and delicious!