Now in its third millennium, Austrian viticulture is much more than a wonderful accompaniment to the music of Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, and Mahler. Grüner Veltliner is the most widely planted and most important grape in Austria. Given its potential quality, it is somewhat surprising that Grüner Veltliner (GrüVe for short) is limited to central and eastern European countries where it is also called Veltlin Zelene and Veltlini. Productive and rather hardy, although late-ripening, GrüVe is known for producing crisp and fresh wines that have notes of pepper, spices, and sometimes grapefruit. When aged properly, it can improve for many years in the bottle, sometimes taking on the exotic fruit character of an aged Burgundy. The best examples come from the Wachau, Kamptal, and Kremstal regions of Austria. It is a great match for Asian-inspired cuisine and spicy dishes.

The Fuchs (pronounced FOOKS with a slight softening of the ‘K’) Winery was founded in 1876 and is currently run by two brothers. Their land holdings consist of the ancestral vineyard (Winery Styria), which is situated in the South of Styria near the Slovenian border. A more recently developed vineyard, the source of our featured wine, is located in Podersdorf near the Neusiedlersee in the province of Burgenland. Lake Neusiedl is the only middle European steppe lake, and its eastern shore is almost entirely planted with vines. The Fuchs brothers own 14 hectares (35 acres) of vineyards and contract with other grape growers for a total annual production of 25,000 cases. The brothers believe that each vineyard has its own character and requires individual care. Although they use modern winery procedures, their focus is on vineyard management and careful grape selection.