Bernhard Ott Am Berg Grüner Veltliner 2024
Bernhard Ott is one of the finest growers in Austria, a biodynamic specialist working the loess soils of the Wagram, just northwest of Vienna. He's built a reputation on Grüner Veltliner of real depth — and Am Berg is his gateway bottle, the one that shows you what the fuss is about without asking you to spend a fortune. At £19 it's genuinely one of the smartest whites in this price bracket.
Grüner is Austria's signature white grape, and on Ott's deep loess it does exactly what it should: a bright, peppery, citrus-driven wine with a savoury edge that sets it apart from every other crisp white on the shelf. The 2024 pours pale and lively.
Expect green apple and fresh pear on the nose, a squeeze of lime, and that unmistakable twist of white pepper and green herb that says Grüner. The palate is dry and zippy, clean as a whistle, with a faint lentilly, savoury note underneath and a brisk, mouth-watering finish. There's nothing heavy here — it's built for drinking, not contemplating, and it does that job better than almost anything at the money.
How to Serve
Serve well chilled, around 8–10°C, in an ordinary white wine glass. No fuss, no decanting — just pull it cold from the fridge and pour.
Where to Drink It
Fischer's in Marylebone, an Austrian café where Grüner belongs on the table. Noble Rot for its adventurous by-the-glass list. Kricket in Soho, whose spiced small plates love a peppery white.
Food Pairings
This is the classic partner for Wiener schnitzel, but it's just as happy with a bowl of green-herb salad, grilled asparagus, or a Thai green curry — that white pepper note handles spice beautifully.
