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The Humpday Tipples, Volume Nine: Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner Tasting: September 1, 2010

A couple summers ago, we stumbled upon a liter-size bottle of Grüner Veltliner at our local wine shop, and it soon became the official beverage of the weekly picnics we were hosting in the park at the end of our block. It was crisp, spicy, refreshing, and it was only $9. We've since learned that there are plenty more where that one came from, and many that offer a similar price-to-pleasure ratio.

Only four of us gathered for this tasting, so we decided to limit ourselves to five bottles, one from each of Austria's main growing areas. For dinner we had some soft goat's milk cheese and baguette before Scott served halibut rubbed with Middle Eastern spice alongside brown rice cooked in chicken stock and braised collard greens with carrots.

African-Spiced Fish Dish For Grüner Veltliner Tasting: September 1, 2010

Jennifer once again made a cornmeal cake for dessert, since it was a different group of Tipplers than were at the last tasting. This week it came out even better, still swapping in lemon zest for orange and using roasted cornmeal, because the Grüner Veltliner lent some clearly identifiable spice.

Olive Oil Cake For Grüner Veltliner Tasting: September 1, 2010

Bottle 1: Weingut Ewald Gruber Punkt Genau Sparkling Grüner Veltliner NV, Weinviertal, Austria ($14.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: light yellow color, large bubbles, no mousse, green apple, spice, and hibiscus in the nose, high acidity, light body, short finish

In a Word: Light

Paired with Food: We drank this as an apertif

NV Weingut Ewald Gruber Punkt Genau Sparkling Grüner Veltliner

Bottle 2: Wimmer-Czerny Fumberg Grüner Veltliner 2008, Wagram, Austria ($15.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: yellow color, honey, lemon, spice, custard, and nuts in the nose, medium acidity, "roasted," medium body, short finish

In a Word: Warm

Paired with Food: Savory with the fish

2008 Wimmer-Czerny Fumberg Grüner Veltliner

Bottle 3: Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner 2009, Kamptal, Austria ($15.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: yellow color, mineral, white pepper, peach and yeast in the nose, "flour tortillas," low acidity, medium body, long finish

In a Word: Peach

Paired with Food: Went well with food, especially the spice-rubbed fish

2009 Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Grüner Veltliner

Bottle 4: Nigl Freiheit Grüner Veltliner 2009, Krems-Land, Austria ($17.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: yellow color, star anise, banana, and minerals in the nose, high acidity, medium body, steely finish

In a Word: Mineral

Paired with Food: Really good with the cheese

2009 Nigl Freiheit Grüner Veltliner

Bottle 5: Nikolaihof Wachau Hefeabzug Grüner Veltliner 2008, Wachau, Austria ($24.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: yellow color, salt, earth, minerals, and spice in the nose, rounded, high acidity, full body, more on the palate than in the nose, yeasty, long finish

In a Word: Balanced

Paired with Food: Good with everything, taste evolved with each course, got more spice

2008 Nikolaihof Wachau Hefeabzug Grüner Veltliner

Receipt, Grüner Veltliner Tasting: September 1, 2010

Links

Gruberwein
Wimmer-Czerny
Schloss Gobelsburg
Nikolaihof Wachau

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