Laurenz V - FAQ

LAURENZ V. (pronounced Laurenz five) is one of the leading premium Grüner Veltliner producer from Austria, a small winegrowing country in the heart of Europe. LAURENZ V. offers a range of five distinctive wines that are amongst the most sought after Grüners internationally.

The credo of LAURENZ V. is “STRICTLY GRÜNER AND SHEER DRINKING PLEASURE”. This means only the signature (white) grape of Austria, Grüner Veltliner, is being cultivated by the winery. LAURENZ V. offers distinctive styles to accentuate Austria’s indigenous white grape’s many endearing qualities for “sheer drinking pleasure” at any occasion.

The mission of LAURENZ V. is to establish a Grüner Veltliner range internationally. 

LAURENZ V. is today owned and managed by the founding partners Dieter Huebler and Franz Schweiger. In 2004, Laurenz Maria Moser V, Franz Schweiger and Dieter Huebler together founded LAURENZ V., with the commitment to uphold the values of the Austrian wine pioneer Lenz Moser III, who almost single handedly helped Grüner Veltliner become Austria’s signature grape variety in the middle of the past century.

Since 2004, the winemaking of LAURENZ V. has remained in the hands of Peter Schweiger, brother to founding partner Franz Schweiger. Peter is an extremely talented winemaker, deeply rooted in the Kamptal valley for five generations. Since 2013, Peter Schweiger has been supported by his son Peter Jr., who finished winemaking school in 2012.

In 2004, the newly established company, LAURENZ V. (pronounced Laurenz five), was named after its co-founding partner Laurenz Maria Moser the fifth, the grandson of legendary Lenz Moser III. It’s the legacy of Lenz Moser III, or “Grandpa Grüner”, and his famous family of five generations of Austrian winemakers that the name pays respect to.

Back in the 1920’s, Prof. Dr. Lenz Moser III started to experiment in the vineyards to improve vine cultivating practices and vineyard management techniques. It was thanks to the development of the “Lenz Moser Hochkultur” vine-training system (now modern vertical trellising) for Grüner Veltliner that developed the grape into the most ideal white wine variety to cultivate in Austria and therefore helped the variety to become popular. Today, a third of the total Austrian viticultural areas are planted with Grüner Veltliner, making it the most popular variety and an international signature wine for Austria.

While the international sales office of LAURENZ V. is based in Austria’s capital, Vienna, the true home of LAURENZ V. is found in the beautiful Kamptal winegrowing region. Here, in Lower Austria, approximately one hour by car northwest of Vienna, you will find the cradle of Grüner Veltliner, accounting for some of the best Grüners from Austria. 

Five distinctive styles of Grüner Veltliner are produced:

• CHARMING Grüner Veltliner by LAURENZ V., the estate’s flagship wine, represents the reserve tier in the portfolio and is sourced from our best vineyard sites in the Kamptal.
• FRIENDLY Grüner Veltliner by LAURENZ V. our classic GRUNER from the LANGENLOIS appellation. A serious Grüner for on-premise enjoyment and typically chameleonic with any dish you can think of.
• SINGING is the perfect INTRODUCTION to KAMPTAL GRUNERs and displays lively and harmonious fruit with a refreshing finish and mouth-watering spice, with a hint of white.

SOLITAIRE

• L5 by LAURENZ V. is hand-picked grapes from old vines and carefully matured in French barriques (Taransaud T5® – medium toast) for 18 months. Limited to 400 cases.
• FORBIDDEN FRUITY by LAURENZ V. an off-dry Grüner style rediscovered by LAURENZ V. after decades of a “mania of dry wines” in Austria. Its supple residual sweetness and moderate 11% vol alcohol make this Grüner delicious and drinkable.

Grüner is Austria’s signature grape, accounting for one third of the country’s entire acreage.

• Grüner Veltliner is the natural offspring of Traminer and the St. Georgen grape.
• The legacy of Lenz Moser III and his role in pioneering modern wine growing as the “grandfather” of Grüner provides inspiration for the continued success of Grüner in Austria and internationally.
• The quality spectrum of Grüner ranges from light, pleasant, easy-to-drink young wines to mid-body elegant and creamy Grüners, and bold late harvest wines that are rich in extract and alcohol.
• Grüner offers great aging potential adding complexity with bottle aging.
• Grüner is the “chameleon of wine”. It is a perfect food companion, complementing a variety of meals and cuisines. It is ideally paired with Fusion Cuisine, Modern Asian Cuisine, anything spicy and, of course, typical Austrian cuisine (Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz).

Think of the floral perfume of an elegant Riesling, the refreshing zip of a Sauvignon Blanc and the lusciousness of a good Pinot Grigio, all in great harmony, with a hint of white pepper as the typical spice of Grüner Veltliner. 

Austria produces less than 1% of the global wine production – approximately 2.5 Mio Hl

• Austria has in general a cool growing climate, with the wine growing focused around 48° N latitude
• Austria’s Wine Country is in the Eastern part of Austria – mainly surrounding the Capital, Vienna
• Approximately 45.000 ha ( 110,000 acres ) of vineyards - 65% White, 35% Red
• Very strict wine laws – quality wine with the quality seal (analytically approved and sensorial panels to pass)
• Very “green” country – sustainable farming is our “common sense” in the industry