Winemaker Notes
This zippy Grüner Veltliner comes from a young and dynamic multi-generational family winemaker in Austria. Racy and exotic, with a deep golden hue and aromas of sun-kissed citrus, schist and limestone. The palate shows lemony overtones, racy acidity and white pepper spice.
Co-founded by Katie Lee Biegel, Kind of Wild is a collection of global wine discoveries devoted to regenerating the planet. Kind of Wild partners with top growers around the world who farm healthy soils to craft premium, kinder wines that are certified organic and certified vegan. They've torn the label back and ventured into the wild to return with this collection of world-class wines made with organic grapes. We've all been buying organic produce and other naturally sourced foods. We've tasted the difference and felt better for it. But it seems finding exceptional wine made from organic grapes is a little harder. That's why Kind of Wild was started.
When you choose Kind of Wild wines, you’re buying more than wine. You're supporting growers across the globe who believe in creating a sustainable future by improving soil health, diminishing soil erosion, keeping natural waters free from chemicals and having a positive, lasting impact on the local ecosystem. They believe by supporting these growers; they can encourage others to adopt organic and regenerative farming.
Fun to say and delightfully easy to drink, Grüner Veltliner calls Austria its homeland. While some easily quaffable Grüners come in a one-liter—a convenient size—many high caliber single vineyard bottlings can benefit from cellar aging. Somm Secret—About 75% of the world’s Grüner Veltliner comes from Austria but the variety is gaining ground in other countries, namely Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States.
Appreciated for superior wines made from indigenous varieties, Austria should be on the radar of any curious wine drinker. A rather cool and dry wine growing region, this country produces wine that is quintessentially European in style: food-friendly with racy acidity, moderate alcohol and fresh fruit flavors.
Austria’s viticultural history is rich and vast, dating back to Celtic tribes with first written record of winemaking starting with the Romans. But the 20th century brought Austria a series of winemaking obstacles, namely the plunder of both world wars, as well as its own self-imposed quality breach. In the mid 1980s, after a handful of shameless vintners were found to have added diethylene glycol (a toxic substance) to their sweet wines to imitate the unctuous qualities imparted by botrytis, Austria’s credibility as a wine-producing country was compromised. While no one was harmed, the incident forced the country to rebound and recover stronger than ever. By the 1990s, Austria was back on the playing field with exports and today is prized globally for its quality standards and dedication to purity and excellence.
Grüner Veltliner, known for its racy acidity and herbal, peppery aromatics, is Austria's most important white variety, comprising nearly a third of Austrian plantings. Riesling in Austria is high in quality but not quantity, planted on less than 5% of the country’s vineyard land. Austrian Rieslings are almost always dry and are full of bright citrus flavors and good acidity. Red varietal wines include the tart and peppery Zweigelt, spicy and dense Blaufränkisch and juicy Saint Laurent. These red varieties are also sometimes blended.