2009 Grüner Veltliner & the missing pepper

In a world full of uncertainty, it was always comforting during my blind tastings for the Master of Wine exam to think that Grüner Veltliner could be recognised by its distinctive white pepper scent. But judging by the 40 2009s I tasted at a recent Austrian generic tasting in London (see Jancis's notes on dozens of Austrian red wines yesterday), that truism is a falsism. In fact, the styles ranged widely from neutral, dry, light ones to tropical, sweet, heavy ones – but of white pepper there was virtually no sign.

It seems impossible to pigeonhole this variety, something the...