White wines: Grauer Burgunder
Synonyms:
Ruländer, Pinot gris
Wine:
Rather dark yellow-gold, sometimes with a clear coppery light;
bouquet reminiscent of caramelised sugar and white bread, at
best with peach and apricot fruit as well. Despite its merits this
grape variety from the Burgundy family –and perhaps even
its
oldest “ancestor” –has failed to become fully
established in Austria.
Particularly with long ageing, Ruländer wines have an impressively rich body and supple, almost oily fullness, sometimes combined with rusty-smoky components. In hot vintage years the acidity of the Ruländer can be somewhat low, allowing the alcohol to gain the upper hand. The high-quality wines age outstandingly well, preserving their concentrated character for a long time. Along the Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedlersee) firstclass dessert wines are made from the Pinot Gris grape. Due to its high sensitivity to noble rot it is convincing both as a pure variety and as a component in a sweet white-wine blend.
Foto: ©ÖWM/Faber
