Review: A Gruner Veltliner from Austria’s Star Non-Alcoholic Brand Zeronimo
/Zeronimo Gruner Veltliner, 94 points
When I was on maternity leave with my first child, there was a period of time starting that spring and into summer when I would trudge over to my “mom friends” house for wine time while our kids crawled all over the grubby front porch and we moaned about the witching hour, lack of spousal support and the dread of going back to work soon. The more memorable part of these experiences was my introduction to a white wine called gruner veltliner, thanks to my friend’s parents’ frequent trips back to their native Hungary. The acidic, fresh and complex nature of that varietal became a long-time favourite of mine, and a delight when I would find one stocked at my local wine shop.
If you’ve never had gruner veltliner, it’s a zingy, almost electric white wine native to Austria with incredible acidity and balanced fruit. It’s also produced in Czech Republic and Hungary among other countries. It’s really truly an Austrian specialty though and meant to pair with fondue and soft cheeses, or wiener schnitzel.
The first non-alcoholic gruner was from Studio Null which I reviewed last winter. Find the full review here.
If I had to compare the two, I would say the Zeronimo version is definitely better from a winemaking perspective, but that the Studio Null version is also an incredible, quaffable option.
Zeronimo is produced at Austrian winery Heribert Bayer, who are really the first team of winemakers to dealcoholize an existing 98-point red wine. The gruner joins their range of four styles - the gruner veltliner, the Leonis Blend red, Sparkling Select and a red zweigelt.
As with the other Zeronimo products, you can taste the quality of the vines, and the intelligent winemaking technique that goes into the process of dealcoholization. Where many non-alcoholic wine brands use a lower quality fruit, Zeronimo is standing out by producing non-alcoholic wines with some of their best vines and this is evident in the gruner veltliner.
Aroma
On the nose, there are notes of fresh green apple blossom and I got a hint of almond, which I don’t think is typical of a gruner but was an interesting surprise. Overall the nose is light and sophisticated and a great precursor to the taste.
Taste
Even though Austria is a small country, there is a complex variation in the presentation of gruner veltliner depending on which region it’s grown in. With Zeronimo, you’ll immediately taste honeysuckle and nectarine, a characteristic of gruners from the Burgenland region - where the warm Hungarian air meets the higher altitude temperatures from the Alps. Wines produced further north and west are slightly more peppery and herbaceous. This non-alcoholic white is light and zesty, with balanced notes of lemon and medium acid. Unlike a lot of non-alcoholic whites, the lemon/citrus doesn’t hit you over the head. It’s more subtly integrated with the fruit and it’s truly lovely. I may have imagined a hint of banana - or maybe it was just the smoothie I had for lunch?
Texture/Mouthfeel
One key thing about all the Zeronimo wines is that although they’re low in sugar, they aren’t thin. Many non-alcoholic winemakers trying to get to two or three grams of sugar per glass end up stripping out the texture and weight (and the flavour!). Other times, lower quality or amateur non-alcoholic wines end up removing the alcohol and adding a lot of sugar back into the liquid in the form of juice to enhance mouthfeel. In Austria, strict regulations means this is not allowed or the wine is ineligible to be called wine whether it’s non-alcoholic or not. With Zeronimo’s Gruner Veltliner, the sugar rating is 2.2g per 3.5 oz glass and there is no added juice, but the texture is soft and defined and replicates what one would expect from a light and crisp white.
What to pair with Zeronimo Gruner Veltliner
Because this non-alcoholic gruner isn’t as peppery as cooler climate bottles, it doesn’t have the bite to cut through weiner schnitzel like one with alcohol. Since it’s not an overly dry wine, it’s a perfect pairing for traditional raclette and definitely a good excuse to dust off the fondue pot. It’s also a great option for summer salads, light crispy appetizers and white pasta dishes.
Overall, this is an elegant and really well-made dealcoholized white that a wine fan will truly enjoy, whether they are a non-drinker or not. It doesn’t taste like a dealcoholized wine and someone who didn’t know might be fooled into thinking it was a regular wine with a lower alcohol volume. If you’re new to wines from Austria, or even new to thinking about wine and its various facets, you may not understand why this wine is special but it’s worth just trusting me on this one!
Where to Buy Zeronimo in the U.S.
Where to Buy Zeronimo in Canada
How we score wines at Some Good Clean Fun:
95 to 100 - An excellent drink with a great personality. An example that stands out among its peers
90 to 94 - An accomplished drink with considerable personality, character and complexity. A classic example of its style or variety.
85 to 89 - A perfectly well-made drink which provides an enjoyable drinking experience.
80 to 84 - An acceptable but simple drink, lacking distinction.
