Michael Gruber’s great-grandparents lived on a self-sufficient farm, with vineyards, orchards, wheat, cattle and chickens. Most everyone in Kamptal made their own wine for their own table, and while Michael’s father Ludwig built a tavern and transformed the farm into a wine-only operation, the tradition remains for everyday Gruner Veltliner that’s far better than it needs to be. The winery’s name Am Berg means From the Mountain, and the granite hills of the Gruber’s 13 hectares impart classic mineral character into this bottle. The wine smells strongly of lemon, apple and key lime with notes of snap pea and white pepper – seemingly lifted straight from the dictionary entry on Gruner Veltliner. The palate is brightly flavored with lemon, pepper and green apple, while flinty minerality positively hums throughout, before the delicately creamy finish lands with lemon curd and a dash of salt. This is the sort of endlessly versatile Gruner that can handle nearly any kind of meal short of red meat, but it is at its best with difficult dishes like asparagus, fish sauce flavored stir fries, and curry.