When my DC wine class suggested we do a Grüner Veltliner a few weeks ago, my reaction was “A what?” It was explained to me that it is an Austrian varietal. I replied, “I’ll never find an Austrian wine here.” One of my friends suggested that this grape is probably grown in California. Lo and behold! 100 acres are planted right here in Monterey County! I learned Scheid is one of the growers and a quick check of their web page confirmed a current release! I placed my order over the phone and picked up the order at their Carmel-By-The-Sea tasting room.
We’ve been acquainted with Scheid wines for some time. You can’t drive down 101 through the Salinas Valley without seeing acre after acre of Scheid grapes – all the way down to the San Luis Obispo border (at least that’s what it seems!). In fact, according to their website, they own “12 estate vineyards located along a 70-mile stretch of the Salinas Valley.”
Condensed from Scheid Vineyards: Al Scheid was a pioneer in the Monterey wine industry, planting vineyards back in 1972. With investment partners and known as the Monterey Farming Corporation, they sold 100% of their grapes. In the early 1990s, they decided to replant and produce wines under their own label.
Scheid 2018 Grüner Veltliner, Monterey AVA, 14.5% ABV, $24 (Outbreak Wine #130)
From Scheid Vineyards “Grüner Veltliner accounts for approximately one-third of all the wine grapes grown in Austria, and is widely planted in the Czech Republic and Slovakia as well, but just under 100 acres are estimated to be planted in California. We planted our first Grüner vines in 2010 because, truthfully, our winemaking team wanted it. See, they’re wine geeks. And wine geeks love Grüner because it has a wonderful spicy minerality combined with pop rock acidity, it’s über aromatic, and it’s a great wine to pair with food. So their wish was granted (they are a hard team to say ‘no’ to) and 2018 marks our sixth vintage of this delicious varietal…”
The winemaking: “The handpicked grapes were whole cluster pressed and the juice was then lightly pressed. The juice was then cold settled to remove the excess pulp, which prevents the yeast from being stressed and allows for a clean fermentation. The juice was slowly fermented entirely in stainless steel at a very cold temperature to enhance the fruit esters and preserve the varietal aromatics. It was aged in 100% stainless steel for 3 months. The result is a refreshing, fruit-packed wine with a medium-bodied finish bursting with citrus and lively acidity.” 139 cases.
The label says: “The cool climate of our Riverview Vineyard allows for slow ripening and preserves the intense fruit flavors and loads of bright citrus with tropical fruit and honey notes that lead into a clean, crisp finish.” 88 points, Vinous
My Review: The Scheid version of this varietal is reminiscent to me of a Viognier. Magnolia on the nose, honey and lemony/grapefruit on the palate, with a slight lime zest finish. This wine is both sweet and tart. The 14.5% alcohol means this is a bigger, sweeter version of a Grüner Veltliner than you would ever find in Austria. August 2020
You can order Scheid wines directly from their webpage. Their tasting rooms have been open daily for outdoor tasting. Please be sure to call them to confirm. You can make a reservation and get more info here: Visit Scheid
© Decanting Monterey 2020
Love Gruner Veltliner– became an aficionado living in Vienna in the mid-90s… Will have to find the Scheid, but a little concerned about the very high alcohol (14.5%) for a varietal that is usually light, crisp, and slightly effervescent…
I think you are right – this wine is not made in the style of an Austrian wine. It is indeed a California bigger- styles wine.