Roter Veltliner
- © AWMB / Oberleitner
Origin: Austria, Niederösterreich
Parentage: Selected from several varieties: Weißroter, Brauner, Silberweißer Veltliner and Gelbling. Roter Veltliner is actually the original variety of the Veltliner group. As an autochthonous variety, it holds a special position amongst the Veltliners as a natural crossing partner for Neuburger, Zierfandler and Rotgipfler.
Vineyard area: 193 ha, 0.4 %. It grows in limited areas of Niederösterreich, especially in Wagram, Kamptal and Kremstal, and occasionally in the Weinviertel and Wien (Vienna). Between 1999 and 2009, its representation in vineyards decreased by 24.9 %.
Important ampelographic features
Leaf: large, five lobes, deeply sinuated
Grape cluster: medium to large with very compact berries; conical conical with grapes coloured from greenish-yellow to flesh-red; thick skinned; uneven ripening.
Ripening time: late
Importance, conditions: Losing importance because the sites needed are extremely good for the Grüner Veltliner. The variety needs early warming sites with deep loess soils. During flowering, it is extremely sensitive to winter and late frosts. It is also very prone to Botrytis and peronospora. Overall, it does not have easy varietal characteristics, and this limits its growth.
Wine: Roter Veltliner is a high yielding variety, which is why yield limitation is necessary for achieving high quality versions. Then very characteristic and elegant, extract-rich wines with fine aromatics and enormous ageing potential can be created. Without yield regulation, the wines are somewhat thin and simple.