Riesling – grown in the same country, Grüner and Riesling work in tandem to fill the Austrian countryside and vineyards. Since they are both pulling from the same terroir, they do tend to have many of the same traits. They are similarly lightweight and young unripe Riesling will have many of the same citrus notes of lime and lemon. However, the older Riesling gets, the more fruit character develops with notes of ripe stone fruits and tropical fruits. Grüner, on the other hand, tends to be more “green in character.” They are both high mineral. Aged Grüner and Riesling can often be indistinguishable to the novice palate. Aging has the opposite effect on each wine bringing them to a similar end place full of depth and complexity. Sauvignon Blanc – Sauvignon Blanc is a notoriously “green” wine, and as “Grüner Veltliner is actually named “the green wine,” you can imagine the similarity. Both Grüner and Sauvignon have strong green notes like lime, green pepper, green beans, salad greens, and grass. However, Grüners tend to be much spicier with notes of radish or white pepper. They are also much more acidic which is why they can pair with foods that Sauvignon Blanc dare not!