2024 Volker Wines Company Orange Vibes Gruner Veltliner

Volker Donabaum, the founder of Volker Wine Co., has been in the wine industry practically since birth. He grew up on the Donabaum family estate in the Wachau in Austria, where the family has been making wine since 1833. After working several harvests in Austria and elsewhere in the world, Volker moved to New York in 2012 where he started his own importing/distributing company. He has since relocated to Houston, where he started the Volker Wine Company, which represents notable producers in California, Washington, France, and Austria as well as featuring his own Volker Wein line. His “Orange Vibes” is, as you might guess, an orange wine, a Gruner Veltliner given four days of skin contact in stainless steel, followed by eight months on the lees. Clean, dry, and refreshing, with aromas and flavors of orange, lychees, and white pepper, this is the perfect introduction to orange wine.

Nose: Aromas dance right away. Apricot skin, Mandarin zest, and golden apple mingle with white pepper and lemon verbena, creating a lifted, citrus‑spice halo that feels distinctly Grüner. A gentle leesy cream and faint chamomile weave underneath, while a cool granite suggestion adds cleanliness and poise as the bouquet unfurls in the glass with air. Bright, precise, and alluring.

Palate: Juicy meets tactile. The first sip shows peach tea and Meyer lemon over a fine, tea‑like grip, then glides into pear and quince as subtle phenolics frame the fruit with appetizing structure that begs for food. Lees softness rounds the mid‑palate without heaviness, and lively acidity threads everything together, keeping the orange‑hued flavors nimble, balanced, and beautifully persistent. Refreshing, textured, complete.

Finish: Crispness takes the final bow. Citrus pith, white pepper, and apricot peel echo in slow‑tapering waves, while a saline, granitic snap cleanses the palate and readies you for another sip as flavors linger with graceful restraint. The aftertaste feels savory and cool, leaving a faint herbal echo that’s both mouthwatering and quietly compelling. Long, clean, memorable.

Crispy pork schnitzel with lemon and dill slaw; the wine’s citrus‑pepper lift slices through richness while the light tannic grip loves the crunchy crust.

Charred broccoli rabe and fennel‑sausage pizza; bitterness, anise, and char harmonize with the wine’s savory phenolics and peppery bite.

Seared salmon with apricot‑ginger glaze and herbed farro; stone‑fruit notes resonate while acidity keeps every bite vivid and fresh.

Thai larb gai with mint, lime, and toasted rice powder; zesty herbs and heat are tempered by juicy fruit and a subtle, cooling creaminess.