The story: Gruner Veltliner is not a wine I drink often. While having had a recent run as a sommelier favorite, it is still rather under represented on retail store shelves and often a bit on the expensive side for a daily drinking white wine. However it's crisp and somewhat complex profile make it a great choice for dinners on the patio during the summer. The generally brilliant acidity keeps the wine very food friendly, and the citrus and spice (often a white pepper element to the palate) keep it interesting and refreshing. Austria has done well with the grape, and based on this bottle I hope it continues to grow as a reasonable alternative to the more widely accepted white varietals. Interestingly, while I think this is a great bottle for a warm summer evening, it has enough going on that it would really work for a cozy night indoors on a cooler fall or spring day as well. Enjoy!The wine: The Petra Unger Gruner Veltliner Oberfeld 2008 Kremstal is a manageable 12.5% alcohol and a rather pretty silvery gold color in the glass. The nose is complex with lemony fresh citrus, some lower toned scents reminiscent of pumpkin or squash, a bit of burnt rubber, and some green vegetable aromas. While the individual descriptors may not sound immensely appealing they combine to make an interesting and inviting nose. The palate is loaded with citrus and the pumpkin continues. The bright acidity makes it a rather linear wine across the palate and it finishes with just a hint of white pepper.
The verdict: A mouthwatering wine, with just enough complexity to keep it interesting, I really enjoyed this bottle. It smells great, it tastes nice, and it is focused. There is not much more I could ask for in a $16 wine, and as a rather commonly available bottle of Gruner Veltliner it does the varietal and the region well. For those interested in seeing why restaurants get excited about the pairing possibilities of this grape, or why GV should become a part of your al fresco dining routines (if that is even a thing) I encourage you to keep your eye out for this bottle.
What I like most about this wine is that it's sweet and delicious. I used to drink too much white wine before but when my Buckhead dentist said that it could stain my teeth, I opted for red wine instead. And this wine is indeed the perfect wine for me.
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