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Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

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Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David M. Bueker » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:22 am

Looking up at the calendar, today is April 1, and that means it's time for a new topic for WIne Focus. This month it's Austria. There's no other guidelines than that. Open a Gruner Veltliner, a Riesling, a Zweigelt or even a Blaufrankish if you please, but whatever you do, celebrate spring with some of the most refreshing white and red wines on the planet.

More to come after a quick stop for some coffee and a few of those delicious pastries...
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Bill Hooper » Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:47 am

Birgit Eichinger ‘Wechselberg’ Roter Veltliner 2006 -Kamptal, Austria 13,0%

Oh, my last bottle. I like to drink Roter V a little more quickly after release while it’s fresher (though I’ve had some great Leth bottlings from the ‘70’s.) Birgits ’06 is drinking splendidly right now. The power of the vintage makes itself heard with sappy, succulent stone fruit bordering on bruised and heady potpourri aromas and a mild nuttiness. This is very much like a flinty, mineral, baby Gewurztraminer with a bit more acidity.

Cheers,
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:19 pm

See Bill could not wait to get started! I have some nice bottles here including some `03 Hirtzberger so do not have to go out and buy much. That is good `cos in-house probation officer is quite alert these days!

Tim, you might have some problems eh?!!!!
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Bruce Hayes » Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:50 pm

Don't have anything right now, but this weekend I will be buying a couple of bottles of Singing Gruner 2008 from Laurenz V. The wine has received some good reviews and appears fairly priced at $14.95 (Canadian).
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by John S » Thu Apr 01, 2010 2:50 pm

I had this a few days ago. Rabl isn't quite in the top rank of producers, but this wine - their top GV - was excellent.

After a visit to Austria wineries last year, I've really tried to buy more Austrian rieslings and GV (all I can find here): they really are spectacular!

  • 2006 Rabl Grüner Veltliner Vinum Optimum - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois (3/27/2010)
    Very nice as the first wine at a long wine dinner last night. Didn't take notes, but the wine's intensity was its greatest strength. Nice balance too, and great acidity. Still young, but drinking very well now (A-)
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Tim York » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:10 pm

Bob Parsons Alberta. wrote:Tim, you might have some problems eh?!!!!


From memory, all I have are two or three bottles of assorted GV and a couple of an expensive Hirtzberger Riesling which I was intending to age a bit more.

Is it fate? An invitation to tasting of an Austrian importer dropped into my letter box this morning; he is an interesting guy whose real passion is rather avant-garde painting and sculpture; wine is a sideline to pay the bills. There is no way of escaping from his place without committing a big violation of probation.

In the meantime, I'll look for my notes of last Autumn's tasting of the Nigl and Moric ranges.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Tim York » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:19 pm

Here is a re-run of my notes of a tasting last November. It covers one of the best producers of Danube basin GV and Riesling as well as some up-market Chardonnay and Blaufränkisch from Burgenland. The ranges of the same producers will be on show again at the end of April but, good though they are, I doubt whether I will go again having tried them so recently.

Nigl, Kremstal, Austria
Heinz Velich was standing in to represent this estate as well as his own and Moric, that of his brother Roland; he did a very good job. There were marked differences between each wine here as terroir and vintage spoke loud. The 2008 GVs are wonderfully crisp and focussed but whole range was excellent (and under screwcap).
Gärtling Grüner Veltliner (“GV”) 2008 (€9) was crisp, juicy and fruity with notes of apple and white pepper; 15.5/20 QPR.
Kremser Freiheit GV 2008 (€12) was more subdued aromatically but showed more amplitude and great tang and minerality; 16/20 QPR.
Senftenberger Piri GV 2008 (€15) was even broader than the previous and equally mineral with a strange tang reminiscent of glue; 15.5/20++.
Alte Reben GV 2008 (€21) showed greater roundness and richness with notes of honey, apple and crisp minerals; 16/20+++.
Kremser Terassen GV 2006 (€19) was in a different style; notably rounder with touches of orange, peach and cream, rich, spicy and long; 16/20+++.
Privat GV 2005 (€24) showed burnished aromas of flowers and grilled meat and a rich, generous palate with backbone; 17/20.
Dornleiten Riesling 2007 (€16) was crisp with rich aromas of white flowers, minerals and hints of petrol; 15.5/20+++.
Dornleiten Riesling 2005 (€15) was less crisp, more juicy with greater complexity and rather more petrol; 16/20.
Senftenberger Piri Riesling 2006 (€23) showed fruity and piquant aromas of apple, pears and spice and fresh, generous and complex fruit with minerals in the background; 16.5/20.
Privat Riesling 2006 (€35) showed peppery white flowers and generous body with a touch of RS well balanced by acidity; 16.5/20.
Reserve Riesling 2002 (€33) showed a step up in complexity with notes of flowers, white fruit, cream and petrol and in balance on round and structured palate; 17/20++.
Zweiglt Rosé 2007 (€11) came over as austere after the Rieslings but there were notes of nice tangy red and black currant and more structure, complexity and minerality than in most pinks; 15.5/20.

Velich, Apleton, Austria
We plunge into a different world here with opulent wines made in the warmer climate close to Hungarian frontier and to the large Neusiedlersee lake (less than 2 metres deep), which provides reliable botrytis.
TO 2007 (€14), from Chardonnay, Welschriesling and Sauvignon, showed some complexity with elements of cat’s piss, paste, varnish and juicy fruit but it didn’t work for me; 14/20.
Darscho Chardonnay 2007 (€28), matured in large barrels some new, showed rich, burnished tropical fruit, faint touches of butter only and nice minerality; 16/20.
Tiglat Chardonnay 2006 (€47), in spite of being matured in used barrels, showed more wood in the form of cedar notes mingled with white fruit and peach on a rich dark, salty and mineral palate; 16.5/20.
Seewinkel Beerenauslese 2006 (€18/half bottle), from Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Welschriesling, was elegant and complex with fine botrytis beautifully balanced by minerals juicy acidity; 17/20+.
Schosto Beerenauslese 2005 (€16,50/half bottle), from the same blend, was several notches up in unctuousness and depth with apricot, toffee and burgeoning botrytis but with less freshness, elegance and minerality than the previous and further from my affections; 16.5/20.

Here is a link to the estate’s webite http://www.velich.at/ , which is in German only – surprising since Heinz Velich’s English is totally fluent.

Moric, Burgenland, Austria
The estate is owned by Roland Velich and seeks to demonstrate that great wines can be made from the Blaufränkisch grape (red).
Blaufränkisch 2007 (€17) showed a nose a round quasi-Burgundian fruit but palate tangy, mat in feel and robust with minerals; a good sturdy quaff; 15.5/20.
Alte Reben Lutzmannsburg Blaufränkisch 2003 (€60!!) showed rich and intense fruit and good structure but its potential for elegance was spoiled for me by the wood, a caramelised finish; after 6 years one may ask whether it will ever integrate; 15/20.
Alte Reben Neckenmarkt Blaufränkisch 2003 (€52!) showed better integrated, though still present, wood and I was able to enjoy its fine intense fruit and dark structure; 16/20++.
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WTN: Nigl 2008 Kremser Freiheit GV

by Robin Garr » Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:38 pm

From today's 30 Second Wine Advisor, Wine Focus: Austria.

Nigl 2008 Kremser Freiheit Grüner Veltliner ($15.99)

Very clear, pale gold color. Subtle, pleasant aromas meld sweet lemon zest and the earthy "lentil" that often signals Grüner Veltliner. Tart and zippy on the palate, zesty white fruit with a distinct stony minerality in the background. Crisp citric flavors and palate-cleansing acidity linger in a long finish. U.S. importer: Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.; A Terry Theise Estate Selection. (April 1, 2010)

FOOD MATCH: Fine with fish, a standard with Southeast Asian dishes and versatile with vegetarian fare; it made a happy marriage with hearty lentil soup at a Maundy Thursday supper.

VALUE: The mid-teens is an inviting range for a Grüner Veltliner of this quality. In some metro areas where GV is a more sought-after item, you'll likely find it selling for more.

WEB LINK: The Nigl Website,
http://www.weingutnigl.at/
featuring information about the winery and its restaurant and hotel, is available in German and English; click the links at lower right on the main page for your choice or use this link to go direct to the winery home page in English:
http://www.weingutnigl.at/wg/wg.asp?lang=en
Here's a link to a short report on this wine in the 2009 vintage:
http://www.weingutnigl.at/wg/wg.asp?lan ... c_nav=gvkf
For more information on Nigl in English, see this page on the importer's Website:
http://www.skurnikwines.com/prospects.c ... spect_id=7

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and find vendors for Nigl Kremstal Grüner Veltliner on
Wine-Searcher.com:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Nigl% ... g_site=WLP
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Salil » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:36 pm

Austria - woo hoo! :D

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal
I've had this wine a handful of times in the past year, and each time it's been awesome. This time is no different.
Fantastic aromatics; brightly fruited and very floral but with such intense white pepper and spicy notes that it's easy to mistake this for a Gruner. Very rich and layered in the mouth, combining primary fruit and mineral notes with developed smoky and creamy elements, expansive and round but with good acidity underneath keeping it nicely balanced. Delicious.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Rahsaan » Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:16 am

Salil wrote:Austria - woo hoo! :D

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal
I've had this wine a handful of times in the past year, and each time it's been awesome. This time is no different.
Fantastic aromatics; brightly fruited and very floral but with such intense white pepper and spicy notes that it's easy to mistake this for a Gruner. Very rich and layered in the mouth, combining primary fruit and mineral notes with developed smoky and creamy elements, expansive and round but with good acidity underneath keeping it nicely balanced. Delicious.



Sounds great. These wines are so easy to drink!
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Bill Hooper » Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:34 am

Salil wrote:Austria - woo hoo! :D

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal
I've had this wine a handful of times in the past year, and each time it's been awesome. This time is no different.
Fantastic aromatics; brightly fruited and very floral but with such intense white pepper and spicy notes that it's easy to mistake this for a Gruner. Very rich and layered in the mouth, combining primary fruit and mineral notes with developed smoky and creamy elements, expansive and round but with good acidity underneath keeping it nicely balanced. Delicious.


Salil, thanks for the note. It goes to show that if your terraces didn’t go sliding into the Donau in ’02, you likely made pretty good wine. The Steinertal is also one of the two most stylistically distinctive vineyards in the Wachau (along with the Achleiten) and seems, much like the Berg Schlossberg in the Rheingau, to make better wines in rain-soaked years because of its potential to shed water quickly and efficiently. All that said, F.X. Pichler on the label trumps all of course.

Cheers,
Bill
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Dan Smothergill » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:10 am

Here are some of my old postings about Austria that some might find of interest. One is a list of wines from an Austrian tasting we put on, another about the results. A St. Laurent is described here and the south Styrian village of Klöch here. We have wonderful memories of the wines and scenery of Styria.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David Cobbold » Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:22 am

I am really pleased that you picked on Austrian wines as a focus topic.
I do not want to single out a single producer, or, even less, a single wine, for this contribution, but just to say that I have found, in all my tastings over the past seven years or so, that Austrian wines seem to me to stand out as being of the highest average standard of those of any country in the world. Naturally it is almost impossible to benchmark such a statement in any reasonably precise way, but then wine is neither necessarily reasonable, nor is its appreciation quantifiable with any degree of precision.
My comment derives more from a general impression that reminds me how few bad wines I have tasted from this country, and how many good ones, and then compares this to other cases. I would also add that the good ones have that extra something that us wine lovers look for more and more, which is individual, and often singular, character. This comes, I believe, from a complex mixture of elements : place of origin, grape and human individuality. But, in the case of Austria, and given the difficulties that this country's wine industry has undergone over the past 50 years or more, I think that there has also been an extraordinay collective drive, mainly fuelled by a few small producers, but also well assisted by intelligent educational and promotional campaigns, to make the most of what they have, and get the message around with efficiency. I think that the case of Austrian wine today is exemplary and should be looked at closely by most other wine producing countries in the world. It has all the key ingredients for success, and those include coming from behind! We should remember that Austrian wines represent less than 1% of the world's production, and that it is perhaps easier to make that a good contribution than when you produce much more.
enjoy your discoveries
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Rahsaan » Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:44 am

David Cobbold wrote:My comment derives more from a general impression that reminds me how few bad wines I have tasted from this country, and how many good ones, and then compares this to other cases...This comes, I believe, from a complex mixture of elements : place of origin, grape and human individuality.


Are you talking about wines imported to the US or from your surveys of vineyards and producers in Austria?

If it's the former I think your high success rate is due to the fact that Austria has virtually zero cachet in the US so importers have no incentives to bring in wines that are not great.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David Cobbold » Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:54 pm

I was talking about Austrian wines in general.
I should say that I live in France, and I have travelled 4 or 5 times to Austria to taste widely there at wine fairs etc, and have also tasted Austrian wines occasionally in other countries. I realise that such sweeping statements can be fairly meaniningless, but this is certainly my current opinion. I have worked now for nearly 30 years in the wine trade, but operate now as a wine writer, broadcaster and teacher and have no vested interest whatsoever in any particular wine or groupe of wines.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Salil » Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:08 pm

Bill Hooper wrote:Salil, thanks for the note. It goes to show that if your terraces didn’t go sliding into the Donau in ’02, you likely made pretty good wine. The Steinertal is also one of the two most stylistically distinctive vineyards in the Wachau (along with the Achleiten) and seems, much like the Berg Schlossberg in the Rheingau, to make better wines in rain-soaked years because of its potential to shed water quickly and efficiently. All that said, F.X. Pichler on the label trumps all of course.

I've also really enjoyed Knoll's Loibenberg Riesling from 02. Guess - like Burgundy - it's all a case of producer, producer, producer (and then site).
And I'm yet to be disappointed by any of FX Pichler's Smaragds. Kellerberg and Steinertal on the label usually means there's a great wine ahead.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Salil » Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:20 pm

David Cobbold wrote:I am really pleased that you picked on Austrian wines as a focus topic.
I do not want to single out a single producer, or, even less, a single wine, for this contribution, but just to say that I have found, in all my tastings over the past seven years or so, that Austrian wines seem to me to stand out as being of the highest average standard of those of any country in the world. Naturally it is almost impossible to benchmark such a statement in any reasonably precise way, but then wine is neither necessarily reasonable, nor is its appreciation quantifiable with any degree of precision.
My comment derives more from a general impression that reminds me how few bad wines I have tasted from this country, and how many good ones, and then compares this to other cases. I would also add that the good ones have that extra something that us wine lovers look for more and more, which is individual, and often singular, character. This comes, I believe, from a complex mixture of elements : place of origin, grape and human individuality. But, in the case of Austria, and given the difficulties that this country's wine industry has undergone over the past 50 years or more, I think that there has also been an extraordinay collective drive, mainly fuelled by a few small producers, but also well assisted by intelligent educational and promotional campaigns, to make the most of what they have, and get the message around with efficiency. I think that the case of Austrian wine today is exemplary and should be looked at closely by most other wine producing countries in the world. It has all the key ingredients for success, and those include coming from behind! We should remember that Austrian wines represent less than 1% of the world's production, and that it is perhaps easier to make that a good contribution than when you produce much more.
enjoy your discoveries

Hi David,
I wouldn't agree entirely - I've found Federspiel wines from the Wachau pretty hit and miss, and not generally good values at their prices. I rarely buy those (find the price/quality tradeoff is very worth it when trading up for Smaragd), but from other producers (and areas) in Austria I tend to agree - there's such a high standard with most whites, and I love what the Kamptal area can offer in terms of value right from entry level wines upwards. Pretty much anything Schloss Gobelsburg, Hirsch or Hiedler make, Salomon's entry level whites (haven't tried any of his higher end stuff) - most of those have really hit the mark for me.
And in terms of dry white wines I'm wondering whether any other area comes close to what Austria offers, after a staggering bottle of Hiedler Gaisberg Riesling a couple of weeks ago that cost $30 and blew away pretty much every German dry Riesling I've had near that price point.

BTW, what's your take on the average standards of reds in Austria? I've only had a few experiences with Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt, hardly enough to make a comment on the scene there - but how consistent are producers with those or other red grapes? Any particularly impressive producers that would be worth searching out?
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Rahsaan » Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:08 pm

David Cobbold wrote:I was talking about Austrian wines in general.
I should say that I live in France, and I have travelled 4 or 5 times to Austria to taste widely there at wine fairs etc, and have also tasted Austrian wines occasionally in other countries. I realise that such sweeping statements can be fairly meaniningless, but this is certainly my current opinion. I have worked now for nearly 30 years in the wine trade, but operate now as a wine writer, broadcaster and teacher and have no vested interest whatsoever in any particular wine or groupe of wines.


Good for you. Sounds like you have a lot of experience!

I don't know the local scene in Austria very well and am pretty limited to what I have seen of it from abroad.

But you probably do have a point in that there is much less land planted to wine in Austria and from what I gather even the local business model is not based on large volumes of cheap plonk?
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David Cobbold » Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:48 am

In reply to Salil, here are some recommended red wine producers from Austria. I have no idea which ones you might find locally to you. Most of these tend to specialise in the Blaufrankish, Zwiegelt, St. Laurent varieties, sometimes with some cabernet or merlot blended, but some also make very good pinot noir, as does Wenzel:
Paul Achs, Feiler-Artinger, Gessellmann, G & H Heinrich, Juris, Kerschbaum, Kollwenz, Krutzler, A & H Nittnaus, Pöckl, Prieler, Schwarz, E. Triebaumer, Umathum
There was a tendancy towards over-enthusiastic use of oak and extraction with red wines a few years back, particularly in the new region of Carnuntum, but this has thankfully subsided.

In response to Rahsaan, yes, just about all Austrian producers are small-scale and hands-on. It is these who have driven the movement back to quality since the scandals in 1985 that caused the Austrian wine industry to take a long hard look at itself and the rest of the workd and choose the path they are now treading.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David M. Bueker » Sun Apr 04, 2010 8:57 am

2006 Jamek Riesling Ried Klaus
Rich, in the 2006 mold, but with more innate balance than many of the bigger wines of that year. The ripeness of the fruit is well balanced by background acidity. Air makes it even richer, with layers of creamy peach and pear flavors.

1999 Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Alte Reben
Tight, tight, tight. Did I mention this was tight? We had a number of "personal wine aerators" at the table, and pouring the wine through that made a big difference, with that classic Gruner pepperiness coming out on the nose & more flesh and depth on the palate. It's also very well balanced, but overall still needs either a lot of time or a lot of air. By near the end of dinner it was starting to show the way I hoped it would initially.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David Cobbold » Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:46 am

And Brundlmayer makes some very good Riesling too
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by David M. Bueker » Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:25 am

David Cobbold wrote:And Brundlmayer makes some very good Riesling too


Indeed he does. Perhaps I will open one later in the month. I own a whole lot of Austrian wine and rarely open it. Now that spring has sprung I should change that.

On ther overall subject of Austrian wine quality, we should remember that the vineyard area of Austria is not so large, so their overall contribution to the world's wine supply could never be particularly high. Relating the quality of Austrian wine to their overall amount of production is rather a red herring in my opinion. That said there is certainly a strong commitment to wine quality in Austria with high performance just about every time one pulls a cork, unscrews a cap or pops a glass stopper. I am encouraged by the Austrian response to alternative closures given the purity and focus of the wines which so readily shows flaws of any kind. I do have reservations regarding Austrian red wines due to excessive oak in some wines and excessive pricing for others on the export market. Of course the appetite for Austrian wine is very strong in Austria itself, so producers don't need the export market to the degree it's needed for France, Italy or Australia (to name three examples).
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Tim York » Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:31 am

Grüner Veltliner “Alte Reben” 2005 – Nigl, Kremstal – Alc.13.5%
I wrote a TN on this wine roughly 3 years ago and, whilst admiring its generosity, body and apple pie fruit, mentioned an element of rusticity and coarseness. This gave rise to comment from others that GV was obviously not my thing. I held the two remaining bottles back to see their evolution and report now on the first opened.

Colour was a deepening yellow and the nose had become more refined and integrated and had darkened with a lot of burnished notes. The palate seemed quite evolved now for a wine in its 5th year but there was no suspicion of decay. The body was quite full and the wine showed good depth, richness and length with the primary fruit flavours evolving into a darker secondary subtlety; rusticity has disappeared and the overall effect is quite opulent yet dry and polished and it made a fine pairing for sea bass stuffed with scallops in a shrimp sauce. I can see better why people put GV up to “compete” with white Burgundy; 17/20.
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Re: Wine Focus: April 2010 - Austria

by Bruce Hayes » Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:52 pm

Laurenz Und Sophie Singing Gruner Veltliner 2008
Niederösterreich
Laurenz V

Fairly light yellow in the glass.

Very lemony on the nose.

Medium weight, lemon, grapefruit, peppery, bitter citrus rind, good tangy acidity, nice full mouthfeel, very clean and refreshing.

Peppery, bitter citrus rind on the finish.

Went very well with an Easter Sunday ham.

Screwcap closure.

Purchased at $14.95 (Canadian).
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