There’s plenty of inexpensive Grüner Veltliner out there. So, why this one? Because it’s the kind of wine we spend all our time trying to find—the one that over-delivers to such a degree that you feel a little like a thief, like you pulled off a big heist and got away with it. In an ideal world, I’d have a case of Sepp Moser’s “Von Den Terrassen” always at hand, the same way I always have healthy stashes of good sea salt and olive oil. 

To my mind, this is an essential item, and no matter how many transcendent Grüners we find, I’ll always be amazed by how much character and culture Sepp Moser packs into a $29 bottle. This is a benchmark biodynamic estate in the Kremstal DAC, which, along with neighboring Wachau, is Grüner Veltiner’s spiritual homeland—a breathtaking landscape conjured by the mineral-rich wine in the bottle. “Von den Terrassen” means “from the terraces,” and if you’ve been lucky enough to see the Kremstal region’s vineyard terraces firsthand, this shimmering, pure, finely etched white makes perfect sense. In classic Austrian fashion, proprietor Nikolaus Moser draws on 16 generations of experience in crafting his impeccable, naturally farmed wines. Grown in the silty, mineral-rich soil known as loess on perfectly exposed, south-facing terraces, this is the Grüner that checks all the boxes at the right price. Stock up now before I take it all!

BONUS: For the Grüner geeks out there, we also have a small amount of Sepp Moser’s Kremstal Reserve bottling, “Ried Gebling.” It’s a major step up the ladder without a commensurate increase in price. Check it out here!

The name on the label, Sepp Moser, is that of Nikolaus’ father, who founded the modern-era estate in 1986. The Moser “clan” has deep roots in the village of Rohrendorf, near Krems, going back to the 1840s, but in addition to vineyards in Kremstal, Sepp Moser also acquired 27 hectares further east in Neusiedlersee (Burgenland), where red wines are predominant. When Nikolaus came aboard in 2000, he immediately began the pursuit of organic and biodynamic certification, and now that “Demeter” biodynamic credential flies proudly on the front label, right beneath the “Kremstal” DAC designation.

As Grüner Veltliner lovers know, Kremstal is the ‘middle child’ of Austria’s Big Three wine appellations along the Danube, flanked by the cooler Wachau to the west and the marginally warmer Kamptal to the east. In Kremstal, producers prefer vineyard sites on loess (silt) for their Grüner Veltliner, and Moser is no exception, sourcing “Von Den Terrassen” from an assortment of old-vine sites ranging in altitude from 200-330 meters. Vinified and aged only in steel, this 2020 offers up a beautiful combination of lively mineral energy and saturated fruit on the mid-palate.

In the glass, the wine is a pale yellow-gold with silver and green accents, glinting in the light like a piece of mica or quartz. Aromas of green apple, lemon/lime, white grapefruit, tarragon, mint, radish, and white pepper carry over to a well-concentrated, medium-bodied palate, where the surging acidity and minerality power a long, aromatic finish. It is ready to be enjoyed regularly starting now and continuing over the next several years (putting on a little weight as you go), so my suggestion is to start pulling corks the moment it arrives. 

Pour into all-purpose white wine stems at 45 degrees and enjoy it as an appetite-whetting apéritif, or pair it with all the bright, green Springtime produce we’re all going to start seeing soon. I love the slightly bitter, peppery qualities of greens like arugula or cress with Grüner Veltliner, and after a particularly gloomy late Winter/early Spring, I’m ready to have my spirits lifted and my palate jolted awake. The attached recipe and this wine are guaranteed to do the trick. Enjoy!