A Super Umbrian
N: Deep black fruit and earth. Some hints of spice and berry fruit.
P: Ripe black and red berry fruits. Well structured, with good flavor through the midpalate and an unusually long and balanced finish. Somewhat green and earthy, in an attractive way, with a touch of mild tobacco. Though it is big and ripe with fruit, it is simultaneously soft in the mouth: tannins and acidity firmly hold the fruit in place, and hardly an afterthought until the fruit finally fades away. I stole this out of a discount bin for around ten bucks — it is still a bargain for double the price. [Read more…]
N: Open. Earthy. Very earthy. We’re talking dirt, wet leaves, maybe a hint of tobacco and vegetation.
Gruner Veltliner is a little-known wine outside Austria, unless you are a fairly advanced cork dork. That’s too bad, because it is a wonderfully crisp, light, fruity wine that goes with just about anything. It’s also a refreshing quencher for barbecues, picnics, and hot summer nights. One excellent and affordable example is Hirsch “Veltliner #1”, which exemplifies the typically clean, character of Gruner Veltliner, adding an attractive tartness, almost-sweet fruit, and a touch of mineral. A nice extra is that this wine comes with a screw-top, so you can stick it back in the fridge and enjoy it over several days. In fact, I’ve been drinking this particular bottle for over a week, and it has not lost any freshness. Find it for around ten to thirteen bucks. (In the NY-Metro area it’s carried by Michael Skurnik, a very reputable importer with a particularly excellent concentration in Austrian and German wines.)
Real deal price: 8.99