Stewarding Wine: Knoll, Gruner Veltliner, & Austria

Hi friends!  This past week, Emily Kantowski stewarded a bottle of the Knoll Gruner from the Wine BTB list.  What is stewarding you ask?  A wine stewarding program allows staff to purchase wine from their restaurant at a very small markup over cost for educational purposes.  Our policy here at The Pig is that you can steward 1 of any bottle on the wine list (with exceptions being few and far between, based upon the availability of the wine) for cost + 10%.  You are then also required to write a 1 page paper about the wine: your thoughts on color, smell, taste, pairings, as well as some back ground about the wine's history.  You have 1 week from the day you steward to get your paper back to me, and ideally you'll end up presenting your paper at premeal.  Pretty awesome, right?  Here's to education!  Below is Emily's paper she presented earlier this week at premeal.

"Austria is a landlocked Eastern European country bordered by Czech, Slovak Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, & Slovenia. Approximately the size of Maine, Austria has 123,500 acres / 50,000 hectares under vine which are located almost entirely in the eastern half of the country forming a backwards C-type shape. The vineyards are spread out through 4 major regions : Steierland, Vienna, Bergland Osterreich, and Weinlanfd Osterreich. Here we go down the sub region rabbit hole...Weinland Osterreich comprises two federal Austrian states Bergenland and (the one that's relevant to this presentation) Niederösterreich. Within Niederösterreich are 8 wine growing areas: Thermenregion, Carnuntum, Wagram, Weinviertal DAC, Traisenstal DAC, Kamptal, Kremstal DAC, & finally the Wachau, which is where the Emmeriech Knoll winery is located. A narrow valley with vineyards on both sides of the Danube river, the Wachau is one of Austria's most prized and established wine regions. The region is characterized by steep terraced hillsides based on mostly loess & gneiss soils. The region is focused on white wines with Riesling and Gruner Veltliner, the traditional grape of the region, leading the way.

   Gruner (a cross of Savignin & St. Geogener) from Austria is sparking consumer interest and Austria is filling the demands of wine drinkers globally with 47,000 acres/ 19,000 hectares devoted to the grape, this accounts for more than a third of the nation's vines. Gruner is a bit of a late ripener and commonly produces day bright, pale yellow wines.  The 2014 Knoll Gruner Veltliner Federspeil was a Medium bodied with bright acidity,  notes of Anjou pear, green vegetal, and a white pepper quality to it. The high acid and beautiful fruit make this a great wine to pair with food.

   The Wachau is one of the coolest regions in the country of Austria. Climatic influences include the confluence of several weather systems including cool air from the Waldveirtal forests of the northwest with warmer air coming from the east off of the Pannonian Plain. These factors create a continental climate with diurnal temperature variations that include a dramatic drop in temperatures at night. The Danube river moderates these factors but the valley has plenty of air and heat circulation which allow sugar and fruit flavors to develop in the wine while cool nights of the region preserve the acidity.

   Emmeriech Knoll winery in Unterloiben (growing site  in Wachau the rabbit hole) has been run by the family for 3 generations. Emmeriech and his wife Monika just handed over the reigns to their two sons Emmeriech III who handles the cellars & August who handles the vineyards.

All in all, a seriously delicious summer wine. So patio friendly!"