Hofer Gruner Veltliner 1L

The Wine... Hofer’s "basic" Grüner Veltliner is made completely from estate grown fruit. The wine is fermented in stainless steel. It is easy to notice exceptional ripeness in this wine- Hofer’s vineyards are particularly dry, and have excellent sun exposure. In Weinviertel, as in the Wachau, loess soils provide more mineral character and structure to wine made from Austria’s most planted and most emblematic white grape.

The Farming... Auersthal is an unlikely place for an organic estate. The village has a history of vine-growing, but also of oil mining. North of Vienna is sort of the Texas of Austria, a region that is the basis of that nation’s not very substantial fossil fuel mining industry. Franz and Christina Hofer’s 15 hectares of vines are certified as organic by BioErnte, a group with particularly rigorous requirements.

The Bottle... The sight of Hofer’s large green crown-capped Grüner Veltliner liters makes me smile. More than a few pleasant memories involve this wine and its distinct packaging. It is easy to take Hofer for granted. For many vintages the wine has been affordable, pleasant, and correctly sized for gatherings. Hofer should make us feel lucky. Things are still pretty good in some corners of the culinary world.