2021 Richard Walzer Gruner Veltliner Ried Wolfsgraben Kremstal Austria 750 ml

If there’s one thing every wine lover should experience from Austria, it’s Grüner Veltliner from the country’s holy land: the slopes overlooking the Danube in the Kremstal.

When the Grüner is from a single vineyard and an “astonishing” vintage that Jancis Robinson shone a bright light on Grüner Veltliner, that’s one thing. But when it’s less than $25 too—that sets off our alarm bells.

Richard Walzer gained a wealth of experience at three highly regarded local wineries before striking out on his own: Sepp Moser, Josef Schmid, and Buchegger/Mayr. Early on, he decided he wanted to work on a modest scale so that he could farm exactly the way he wanted. Even today, he farms just over three hectares of vines, aided only by his partner Petra. He is utterly passionate about this land and this variety, and this wine, Ried Wolfsgraben (meaning “wolf trench”), is a calling-card for him. 

2021 is the best vintage in Austria in recent memory. According to Michael Moosbrugger of Schloss Gobelsburg, “This is an astonishing vintage. I have been doing this for more than 25 years and this is a vintage I have not seen before, with such a balance between sugar and acid.”

The Kremstal region shares the same rocky, terraced vineyards that produce the rich, generous Grüner Veltliners of the world-famous Wachau region. In fact, the town of Krems itself is only a ten-minute drive from the Wachau.

The excellent vintage, and the care Walzer has taken with it, is on full display in this wine.