Gross & Gross

As the daughter of a winemaker in Südsteiermark, Veronika wondered why grape juice cannot taste like the grape variety. Can this taste experience be preserved in a juice? Is it possible to appreciate grape juice in the same way as wine? With her brothers, the winemakers Johannes and Michael Gross, Veronika chose a piece of vineyard to investigate whether it was possible to make the green notes of a Sauvignon Blanc or the grapes of a yellow Muscat grape in a juice. The result is a series of juices that we have been looking for for a long time.

A glass of wine or a glass of Flein?
The family started with Sauvignon Blanc. They found this variety ideal for the first harvest: the characteristic aromas, such as grass, gooseberries or green peppers, are already present in the ripening berry. A name for the project was also quickly found: Flein. It can stand for fine and small, but it can also be seen as a tasty counterpart to wine. Lean, elegant juice, with a nice acidity and the fruity sweetness. In the vineyard, everything is done by hand anyway. And recently, organic farming has also been introduced. In collaboration with other winegrowers in the Alpine region, Veronika also produces Gelber Muskateller.

A natural product
Flein is made without artificial additives. In order to preserve it naturally, the juice is pasteurized using the latest techniques. The lower limit of heat has been lowered, as heating kills the aromas. The juice is heated briefly and then cooled down quickly to preserve the aromas and flavors typical of the variety.