Laurenz V

Laurenz V battles on in the crusade to put Gruner Veltliner in the same bracket as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling as one of the great, noble white varieties. For those who know L(aur)enz Moser himself, you'll recognize that trademark smile and determination that everyone should have fun along the way! Lenz's family history is a proud one that stretches back many centuries, though it was his grandfather who developed modern trellising and helped to move Gruner on from only 2% of Austria's plantings in the 1930s to over 35% now.

The grapes for the excellent Charming Gruner Veltliner are grown in the Kamptal region of Austria. Here, they ripen in granite, gneiss, mica-slate as well as loess soils. From the neighbouring region to the north, the rugged Waldviertel blows cold air that substantially lowers night temperatures in the Kamptal; in turn slowing up the ripening process of the grapes. This is crucial to producing the style of Gruner that has been turning heads for a few years now: fresh, fruity, spicy, appley and with just the right amount of acidity that it pairs perfectly with a wide range of dishes. But Lenz's plans for Charming don't stop there! He has instituted a plan called HOC2 which aims to propel it into the pantheon of the greatest European white wines by 2018. At the helm of this plan will be the mysterious 'Meisterlady', a lady whose identity Lenz has yet to reveal - we'll all look out for that one! And how about the 2008 vintage? In typically understated fashion, Lenz has declared 2008 Gruner to be the true 'Viagra of Whites'. Wow…what can we say?