Grüner Veltliner, a grape variety local to Austria, has traveled a lot over the past few years. It’s showing up in growing regions across the U.S. like New York, California, and Virginia. But it’s best to get to know this lemony, peppery wine with examples from its native home.
Grüner Veltliner possesses an incredible range. It can be a light-bodied liter to casually enjoy with friends or an age-worthy powerhouse that evolves for 30-plus years.
This year our list focuses mostly on this grape in the wine zones of its native soils — with the exception of a delicious Hungarian Grüner we couldn’t help but list. Here are the best Grüner Veltliners of 2024.
The Best Grüner Veltliners Under $25
Count Karolyi Grüner Veltliner 2021
This Grüner Veltliner is from the Tolna subregion of the larger southern Pannon wine region of Hungary. It’s our only example outside Austria this year and for good reason. It has a waxy, aloe nose with some lemon and a dose of pear. It’s soft and rich with a slight musky note. Everything about this wine is very cool — and at under $15, it’s a steal.
Average Price: $12
Rating: 92
Landhaus Mayer Grüner Veltliner 2022
Landhaus Mayer sources grapes from vines grown along a dramatic river landscape bordered by forests. These elements help to moderate the climate and create ideal growing conditions for grapes like Grüner. This bottle has notes of honeyed pear and lemon with slight peppery hints on the nose. The waxy palate offers bright fruit and a tinge of creaminess.
Average Price: $15
Rating: 91
Helenental Kellerei ‘GVLTAT’ Grüner Veltliner 2022
Grüner Veltliner in a liter bottle is always a good choice. This is from an Austrian co-op that has been killing it since the mid-1940s and we see why. This delicious Grüner has lemon zest vibes with pops of pear and some white pepper on the nose. The palate is round with some nice depth and excellent acidity. Very balanced and refreshing.
Average Price: $15
Rating: 92
Mayr Grüner Veltliner 2022
This is a classic “bistro style” Grüner. It’s ready for a big get-together and wants to be shared. Waxy Meyer lemons and salty bistro butter on the nose. The palate is round and juicy with a slight grip and very refreshing acidity.
Average Price: $15
Rating: 90
Gruber-Röschitz Grüner Veltliner 2023
This wine comes from the large Weinviertel region in northeastern Austria. The winery is run by three siblings who are very focused on the future, implementing sustainable practices in and out of the vineyard. The label might be playful but the wine inside is seriously good. There are all kinds of inviting aromas like pears and minerals. The palate is round and juicy with ripe fruit and a hint of pepper.
Average Price: $19
Rating: 93
Nigl Freiheit Grüner Veltliner 2021
Martin Nigl’s family has been farming their land tucked deep within the Krems Valley for 200 years. And the family continues to make stunning wines from their vineyards situated among the ruins of the Senftenberg castle. This Grüner is an expertly balanced blend of four vineyard sites — so when it hits your palate, everything is just right. It has a soft creamy nose with spikes of lemon and pepper. The palate has a soft yet active acidity and amazing texture.
Average Price: $19
Rating: 94
Esterhazy The Kiss by Gustav Klimt Grüner Veltliner 2023
The label on this bottle is in partnership with the Belvedere Museum in Vienna. To be able to put this famous painting on a wine bottle is pretty amazing. The wine inside definitely is. Soft lemons on the nose with pops of pear. The palate is deep and smooth with quiet acidity and a slight grip.
Average Price: $20
Rating: 91
Bründlmayer ‘L & T’ Grüner Veltliner 2023
This wine comes from high-elevation vineyards in the Kamptal region about 40 miles northwest of Vienna. Bright, mineral-driven, and slightly floral with pops of pear and white pepper on the nose. It’s juicy and round on the palate with a slight grip and a refreshing finish that lingers.
Average Price: $21
Rating: 92
Hirsch ‘Hirschvergnügen’ Grüner Veltliner 2022
Johannes Hirsch’s father co-founded Respekt, a new biodynamic certification focusing solely on the vine and wine. With that kind of background, it makes sense the wine they call casual is seriously good. It’s slightly floral on the nose with a dose of pear and some salty butter. The palate is calm and tart with good acidity and a medium depth.
Average Price: $21
Rating: 91
Bernhard Ott ‘Am Berg’ Grüner Veltliner 2022
Bernhard Ott replaced his father’s barrels with stainless steel tanks and began converting the vineyards to biodynamic agriculture. It’s his way of expressing the most subtle characteristics of this grape. On the nose there’s loads of minerality with lemon, pepper, and a touch of cream. Citrus and subtle herbs on the palate with big round juicy fruit and lively acidity. This wine is giving extreme refreshment.
Average Price: $23
Rating: 92
The Best Grüner Veltliners Under $50
Brandl ‘Zobing’ Grüner Veltliner 2022
Moderated by the river with ample sunshine and cool nighttime temperatures, the Kamptal is ideal Grüner-growing country. And in the town of Zöbing — population 700 — the Brandl family makes this delicious classic Grüner. A great introduction to this grape, this wine has a rich, concentrated nose with aromas of pepper, minerals, pear, and butter. The palate is very balanced with a nice slight grip and juicy, round fruit.
Average Price: $25
Rating: 92
Nikolaihof ‘Zwickl’ Wachau Grüner Veltliner 2022
The Nikolaihof estate has been in use since the Romans conquered this area. It was even a hold for the Celts before that. Acquired by the Saah family in the late 19th century, they focused even more on winemaking. Their legacy comes through in this certified biodynamic Grüner. It has a slightly reduced nose with some subtle notes of butter and hints of sage. The palate is dry and even with good concentrated fruit depth and good supporting acidity. It’s age-worthy and food-friendly.
Average Price: $30
Rating: 93
Laurenz V. Charming Grüner Veltliner Kamptal Reserve 2021
In the Kamptal DAC in Lower Austria, Riesling and Grüner Veltliner are the stars. But for this winery, Grüner is the only star. It works exclusively with the grape, showcasing its many different styles. This wine is called “charming” and that’s exactly what it is. It offers bright pear and white pepper notes with a nice depth from some time on the lees. It has a grippy palate with some great acidity and balanced fruit. This is what you look for in a classic Grüner.
Average Price: $32
Rating: 92
Josef Jamek ‘Stein Am Rain’ Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2022
Here we have an age-worthy Grüner. The Jamek family has been making wine in the Wachau of Austria for four generations with ideal vineyard sites along the area’s steep slopes. It’s drinking so well now but can age another five-plus years. Deep peppery notes with a dose of sweet Meyer lemon on the nose. The palate has a calm weight to it with acidity doing the work but not front and center. It’s a wine that will age for the next five to 10 years but is drinking beautifully now.
Average Price: $45
Rating: 93
FAQs
Where Is Grüner Veltliner From?
The name Grüner Veltliner directly translates to “green grape from the village of Veltlin in the Tirol,” a state in western Austria. The grape is widely considered native to Austria, and this is also where the variety thrives. One out of every three vines planted in Austria is Grüner Veltliner, and its popularity in this region has made the grape synonymous with Austria itself.
Do Countries Outside of Austria Make Good Grüner Veltliner Wines?
While Austria is Grüner’s home, there are a lot of great examples coming out of other regions, including the countries surrounding Austria as well as some from the New World. Delicious and unique expressions of Grüner Veltliner can be found from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Northern Italy, New Zealand, Oregon, California, and even Long Island.
VinePair’s Tasting Methodology
Throughout the year, VinePair conducts numerous tastings for our popular Buy This Booze column, and wine and spirits reviews. Our mission is to provide a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.
Tastings are not typically conducted blind. In alignment with our reviews mission, we believe in purposefully tasting all products as our readers typically would, with full knowledge of the producer, the region, and — importantly — the price.
*Image retrieved from Leonard Zhukovsky via stock.adobe.com
