Roter Veltliner

Roter Veltliner is a white wine grape found in Austria, where some of its better wines come from the Wagram district of Donauland. It matters because it is very old, is the parent of several other varieties, and despite its name is not related to Grüner Veltliner.

History

The Roter Veltliner is considered a very old variety, but its parentage has so far not been possible to determine.

Several grapes are its offspring, produced through crosses with other varieties: Frühroter Veltliner, crossed with Silvaner; Neuburger, also with Silvaner; Rotgipfler, with Traminer; and Zierfandler, possibly with Traminer.

For a time it was thought that the Roter Veltliner might be a grandparent of Grüner Veltliner. Later studies have weakened that hypothesis, which is not considered proven. Despite the shared name, the two varieties are not related.

The grape carries a large number of synonyms in Central European and Balkan languages, such as Ariavina, Rotgipfler, Traminer or Valteliner in their many forms. This spread of names suggests it had a wide distribution across central and eastern Europe.

Culture

In Austria the Roter Veltliner is associated above all with the Wagram district in Lower Austria, part of Donauland, where some of the best wines from this grape are produced.

Its cultural weight is tied to that of its offspring, such as Rotgipfler and Zierfandler, which are white grapes from the same family of varieties.

The large number of synonyms it has picked up in different languages reflects its presence in the winegrowing of central Europe and the Balkans, where each community has given it its own name. In the sources consulted, its cultivation is associated with Austria.