Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s great gift to the wine world — a white grape of quite distinctive and deeply appealing character that is grown almost nowhere else on earth with the same success, and that produces wines of a freshness, spice, and complexity that have made it one of the most exciting and sought-after white varieties of the modern wine world. Its signature is unmistakable: a characteristic white pepper spiciness on the nose that is the hallmark of the variety, alongside aromatic herbs and stone fruit on the palate, and a natural freshness and vitality that makes it one of the most food-friendly whites in existence. Besas approach their Grüner Veltliner with a care and precision that is evident in every glass. The ripest grapes are carefully selected before crushing, then left in contact with the skins for six hours — a thoughtful touch that adds texture and depth to the wine without compromising its freshness — before pressing, fermentation in stainless steel, and three months on the lees that give the wine a lovely richness and complexity on the palate. The 2024 is a beautiful, expressive Grüner: medium-intensity and green-gold in the glass, with that characteristic white pepper spiciness immediately apparent on the nose, suggestive of the variety’s signature spice and vitality. On the palate it is aromatic and expressive, with herbs and stone fruit woven together in a dense, complex structure that speaks of both the quality of the fruit and the skill of the winemaking. At £16.49, it is Austrian Grüner Veltliner at its most characterful and compelling.