Grüner Veltliner Food Pairing

What is the best food with Grüner Veltliner - Austria’s most widely planted white grape variety? This fresh, crisp and slightly spicy wine pairs wonderfully with lightly spiced Asian dishes as well as vegetables. Of course, it is also a great pairing to the classic Austrian dish wiener schnitzel. This wine guide will give you the best food pairings for Grüner Veltliner.

asparagus on a plate with eggs and vegetables

Last updated February 10th 2023

Pairing a bottle of Grüner Veltliner with food is actually not tricky. This light-bodied, dry white wine has a pleasant high-acidity and delicious citrus flavors, which make it a very food-friendly wine. It is Austria's star grape variety and due to its growing popularity, it is now being planted in many other countries.

Grüner Veltliner goes well with many different types of dishes, but it pairs especially well with certain foods that can be difficult to pair with wine. Spicy foods, artichoke and asparagus are some of the foods that can be hard to pair with wine, but with which Grüner Veltliner is a great pairing. In this wine guide we will look more into this Austrian grape variety and find out how to pair it with food.

About Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner is an Austrian native grape variety that gives mostly dry, fresh white wines with bursting acidity. It has distinctive notes of white pepper, adding to fresh citrus aromas of grapefruit, lime and lemon. It almost always gives wines with a “green” profile, with herbaceous hints of green vegetables such as green bell pepper and celery. Mineral and green apple aromas are also common in Grüner Veltliner wines. These wines are often described as a spicy and more exotic version of Sauvignon Blanc. The high acidity and citrus flavors can also remind of Riesling.

A bottle of gruner veltliner

Grüner Veltliner is planted all over Austria and it is grown in more than 30% of the country’s vineyards. The grape is also grown in Hungary and northern Italy. Lately, Australia and New Zealand have been planting more of the grape as well. Grüner Veltliner is gaining recognition all over the world, and wine regions are now trying to keep up with the increased demand for these wines.

Austrian vineyards landscape

Grüner Veltliner vs. Sauvignon Blanc

Grüner Veltliner is often compared to Sauvignon Blanc, and they in fact share some characteristics. Both grape varieties give dry, fresh white wines, and both have a distinct herbaceous profile and high acidity. If you like the green and grassy profile of Sauvignon Blanc, you will certainly enjoy Grüner Veltliner.

The main difference between Grüner Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc is the characteristic peppery profile of Grüner Veltliner. White pepper aromas are common in Grüner Veltliner wines, and that is why this grape variety is sometimes called a spicy and more exotic version of Sauvignon Blanc.

White pepper

Tips! Are you smelling or tasting white pepper in your wine? That is a strong indication that you are drinking a Grüner Veltliner!

About Grüner Veltliner Food Pairing

Grüner Veltliner is a food-friendly wine which pairs well with many different dishes. When pairing this Austrian grape variety with food, you need to consider the following characteristics of the wine:

Asian noodle salad with herbs

Grüner Veltliner should always be served very chilled. The ideal serving temperature is 7-10°C (45-48°F).

Grüner Veltliner with Asian food

Grüner Veltliner is an excellent choice for gently spicy Asian dishes. The crisp acidity in the wine will balance fatty dishes, while its characteristic white pepper aroma will match spicy dishes with ginger, curry and other slightly spicy condiments. Also, the wine's typical citrusy profile works well also with dishes with lemon grass - an ingredient common in both Thai and Vietnamese cuisines.

springrolls

Asian dishes and flavors that pair well with Grüner veltliner include:

Tips! Are you having a very spicy dish? Then try a wine with a hint of sweetness, like a Riesling. You can also read our guide about how to pair wine and spicy foods.

Grüner Veltliner with Wiener Schnitzel

Wiener schnitzel is a typical Austrian dish. It is a fried veal cutlet coated in egg and bread crumbs, similar to the Japanese tonkatsu. It is a rich and fatty dish that matches perfectly with Grüner Veltliner. The high acidity of the wine cuts through the fat in the dish which creates a balance.

Wiener Schnitzel with potatoes

Tips! Grüner Veltliner is an excellent wine to all types of deep-fried foods, including fish & chips and tempura.

Grüner Veltliner with Vegetables

The green and herbaceous profile of Grüner Veltliner makes it a good pairing for many different vegetables, including bitter and raw vegetables which normally are tricky to pair with wine. Grüner Veltliner is also one of few wines that pair well with asparagus and artichoke.

Grüner Veltliner pairs well with almost all vegetables, but also bitter vegetables like rucola, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts and cabbage. This makes it an excellent wine choice for fresh salads! You can also drink this wine with vegetable-based pastas, soups and risottos.

Grilled artichokes

Tips! To learn more about the best wine for vegetables and vegetarian dishes, we recommend our wine guide for vegetarian food.

Grüner Veltliner with Fish & Seafood

A light-bodied, fresh and dry Grüner Veltliner will pair wonderfully with light seafood dishes. The wine's high acidity will also balance fatty fishes, which makes it a good pairing with salmon. The refreshing citrus flavors of the wine are another reason to drink it together with seafood.

smoked salmon on bread with ruccola

Good seafood pairings to Grüner Veltliner include:

Grüner Veltliner with Chicken

Grüner Veltliner is a good pairing to chicken and other white meats. It pairs especially well with chicken seasoned with herbs and/or lemon, as this dish matches the flavors of the wine. This wine will also pair well with butter chicken.

chicken with vegetables lemon and herbs

Grüner Veltliner Cheese pairing

The crisp acidity and green profile of Grüner Veltliner makes it a great match with goat cheese. It also pairs well with other fresh cheeses like Mozzarella, Feta, Halloumi and Brie.

goat cheese

Tips! Curious to learn more about wine and cheese pairing? In our extensive wine and cheese guide you will find everything you need to know!

Grüner Veltliner Snack pairing

Refreshing, dry white wines like Grüner Veltliner are very suitable as an aperitif and/or together with snacks. This wine's crisp acidity works as a palate cleanser and that is why it is suitable to drink before the meal. The green profile of the wine pairs well with green olives and other snacks with herbs. The acidity will match anything fatty and deep-fried. Perhaps serve it with potato chips, olives and some cheese?

green olives with garlic

Enjoy your bottle of Grüner Veltliner with your food!