Whether it’s a scorcher in June or a frigid December night, anyone can go out and purchase a delicious Grüner Veltliner without breaking the bank. But, to find one in the $20-and-under club that so effortlessly proves why it is (1) among the world’s most classic wines and (2) beloved by just about every Master Sommelier under the sun? Now that’s a rare occasion.
When it comes to affordability, Weingut Steinschaden continues to be one of my all-time favorite values, delivering Smaragd-level ripeness, a profound sense of place, and the mineral verve of top-quality Austrian whites. You’d think a generously textured and supremely classic $20 Grüner Veltliner would be ubiquitous and readily available for purchase, but we’ve discovered the exact opposite to be true. This fifth-generation, quality-over-quantity Kamptal estate basks in relative obscurity—we’ve offered it just three times in seven years—which gives us yet another reason to pounce when it is made available. What can I say: This is the type of wine we live for, and today’s 2020 is one you’ll find lining the door of my fridge for months to come. Buy every bottle you can!
It’s worth hammering home the fact that today’s dirt-cheap Grüner is a DAC-certified gem, i.e. a wine that specifically hails from the growing zone of Kamptal and meets all of its requirements (like AOCs in France). The Kamptal is one of Austria’s premier Grüner appellations, situated along the Danube River west of Vienna (Kremstal and Wachau lay to the west). Kamptal takes its name from the Kamp River, a tributary of the Danube, and the primary soil type here is loess, a mineral-rich, wind-blown silt fused with calcium carbonate. The Kamptal is the easternmost of the Wachau-Kremstal-Kamptal triumvirate, feeling a slightly more profound influence from the warmer Pannonian plain to the east, although all of these regions are influenced by a push-pull of warm and cold air—the latter coming in the form of mountain-born breezes from the northwest. This lengthens the growing season, enabling Steinschaden to harvest Grüner as late as mid-October to ensure optimal physiological ripeness. Furthermore, they own a modest 17 hectares, which allows them to farm each parcel with sustainable measures.
In the cellar, Steinschaden’s clean and delicious Grüner is made as simple as possible: de-stemming, gentle pressing, and fermentation in stainless steel followed by a few months of lees aging to introduce more texture and weight. As usual, their brand new 2020 release is unmistakably Grüner Veltliner, with exotic citrus fruit, a touch of luscious tropicals, spicy greens, and nuanced white pepper. Grüner geeks know that the different Austrian appellations have multiple ‘quality’ tiers within them based on grape ripeness levels at harvest, and when I tasted this wine my first thought was that it was ‘reserve’-level bottling. It is a big wine (for Grüner), but one that finishes bone-dry with a thirst-quenching minerality. You’ll find aromas of crunchy green apple, white peach skin, pink grapefruit zest, pineapple, citrus blossoms, Kaffir lime, daikon radish, and arugula. The palate is full and lush but sweeping waves of crushed minerality and high-toned citrus keep every sip incredibly lively. It’s a wine of both impact and refreshment—not an easy balance to achieve—and I see no reason not to drink it now, repeatedly. Serve it around 45 degrees in all-purpose white wine stems with Viennese-style schnitzel, a generous squeeze of lemon, and a simple side salad. Cheers!
