By Jack Costa
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards marks 20 years since introducing America’s first Grüner Veltliner.
We all remember our first date. Our first car (it barely ran). Some remember our first bike, our first day of middle school, and our first sip of wine.
For one American winemaker, his first sip of Grüner Veltliner left him with a memory that would inspire history – not just in Roseburg, but in the United States.
Autumn 1990, Austria
It was already cold, but riding a motorcycle through the jagged peaks of the Austrian Alps—navigating sharp curves, steep inclines, and sudden drops—made it feel even colder. By the time he reached the restaurant, the blast of warm air that greeted him at the door felt like a reward.
He peeled off his gloves, exhaled into his hands, and took a moment to feel his fingers again. Inside, the restaurant was quiet and candlelit. A waiter approached, greeted him with a nod, and showed him to a small but comfortable table near the fireplace.
The waiter disappeared, and a sommelier appeared with a wine list.
Seeing the 3-inch thick booklet, the guest handed back the list and said, “Bring me what you believe is the finest example of Austrian wine under $100.”
The Sommelier smiled and disappeared, reemerging from the cellar minutes later with a bottle in hand.
“Grüner Veltliner,” the Sommelier said. “It’s $99.”
Seeing the puzzled expression on his guest’s face, the waiter quickly added, “Sir, you may not know this grape, but I will pay for the bottle if you don’t enjoy it.”
The guest smiled, nodding in confirmation.
The sommelier carefully uncorked the emerald-green bottle and poured the straw-colored liquid into his guest’s glass.
As the American sipped the obscure Austrian wine, one thought settled in his mind: simply sublime.
Fifteen years later, that same man would bring the obscure Grüner Veltliner to America.
His name was Stephen Reustle, founder and winemaker of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards.
The History of Grüner Veltliner
They uncovered the scandal on July 9, 1985. It left the reputation of Austrian wine crippled and internationally shunned.
A group of Austrian winemakers had illegally added glycol to their wines to add creaminess and sweetness to otherwise poor-quality vintages. Glycol is toxic, and when the scandal was uncovered, numerous winemakers received jail time.
From an international perspective, Austria was plunged into a PR nightmare. From the public lens, Austrian wine was unfit to join the upper grocery store shelves. And for the next 20 years, Austria and its wines struggled to break into the American marketplace.
Like Atlantis, Grüner Veltliner – considered Austria’s most important white wine grape – found itself sinking beneath the waves of obscurity. That is, until 2005.
After retiring and selling his marketing company in the late 90s, Reustle spent the next few years searching for land to plant a vineyard: New Zealand. California. Washington. And finally, an abandoned Douglas fir reforestation project in Oregon’s Umpqua Valley.
Studying climate and soil data, Stephen realized something remarkable: Roseburg’s growing season nearly mirrored Austria’s. In theory, that meant the Austrian Grüner Veltliner wine he tasted during his motorcycle trip could find a home in the Umpqua Valley.
After purchasing the property and launching his vineyard and winery, Reustle stumbled upon another discovery: nobody in the U.S. had commercially produced Grüner Veltliner. The federal government didn’t even recognize the grape variety. A lengthy application process followed.
By 2003, Stephen had managed to acquire cuttings of the Austrian varietal, planting 5 rows of the grape. By 2005, those vines produced the first vintage of 100% Grüner Veltliner—nearly 1,000 bottles. He sold out immediately.
20 Years of American Grüner Veltliner
Just two weeks ago, the Reustles celebrated the 20th anniversary of harvesting and producing Grüner Veltliner.
Of the winery’s 1,000-plus gold medals, “Grüner” (as it’s colloquially known) is credited for a majority of Reustle’s awards.
Four vintages of Reustle’s Grüner were voted the #1 Wine of the Pacific Northwest, two of which received an astonishing 99 points at the Platinum Competition from the Great Northwest Wine Magazine.
Perhaps the most prestigious award was the 2021 Grüner Veltliner “Green Lizard.” Of the thousands of entries, the Green Lizard was named “Best White Wine in North America” at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition—the largest wine competition on the continent.
When you ask Stephen about his success, he’s likely to point upward and, like Johann Sebastian Bach, reply: “S.D.G.” (Soli Deo Gloria).
“Many locals don’t realize just how extraordinary the Umpqua is at making wine,” Reustle says. “We may be small. Roseburg may not feel like Bordeaux or Burgundy, but our secret weapon of the Umpqua is the climate. Our ‘Goldilocks climate’—not too hot, not too cold—has been the single most important contributor to producing world-class wines.”
For locals, it may come as a surprise just how much impact Roseburg has contributed to American wine. Whether it’s the first Tempranillo grapes planted in the Pacific Northwest by Abacela winery, the first Baco Noir grapes on the West Coast by Girardet, the first Pinot Noir in Oregon at Hillcrest, or the first Grüner Veltliner in the U.S. by Reustle, the Umpqua Valley has a history of firsts. It’s as memorable as that glass of wine Reustle tasted during his motorcycle trip through the Alps.
More information on Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards.
