WTN: CdR and GV

Monday Betsy made a chicken with prunes recipe, it had run in NYT a while ago as an accompaniment for Priorat. I didn't have a Priorat handy (my one bottle of Embruix would have required heavy lifting), so brought up a Cotes du Rhone.

She needed a little white wine for the recipe, I opened a liter bottle of the 2005 Berger Gruner Veltliner (Kremstal). We had a glass as an apertif - light and easy, a little saline note over some peach and pea fruit. Nothing complex, but certainly good QPR at $9/liter. B

With the chicken, brown rice, and green beans in a walnut/miso pesto, the 2001 Domaine des Relagnes Cotes du Rhone VV. I had put this aside after a bottle a couple years ago to see if the rather green tannins would integrate. Well, yes, but what is left is an acidic harsh mess. Sweet Tarts™ doused in pureed underripe strawberry, a green herbal backdrop. Everything a Rhone shouldn't be. C

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Hi Dale
I tried a bottle of the 2005 Dom de Relagnes VV CdR last week. I thought it was very good and easy to drink, ripe, with a bit forward forward fruit but with a nice smoky syrah character that made it stand out a little from an average CdR. Also no new oak as I think it was made entirely in tank. I was wondering if yours was the same producer. If so, it sounds like they have made a lot of progress there since the 2001. Also, was yours labelled Vieilles Vignes?

Thanks for the notes. I have only tried a few 2005 Gruner Veltliners so far, but I did like the 1 liter Hofer and the Gobelsburger basic GV. Maybe 2 good vintages in a row for Austrian GV?

Best,
Marc

Marc,
thanks for the reply- a typo on my part, fixed now. Sounds like same wine.
I hope '05 is also a good GV vintage, my few samples have been good, waiting to try the Nigl Privat.