06.17.2013 Wine Reviews: Fox Run Vineyards, Wagner Vineyards, and Heron Hill Winery

Hello Friends,

I know you would never believe this, but I uncork or unscrew a new wine adventure just about every day. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence, I often tell people that wine is one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great people to meet in real life or via those wonderful social media portals called Facebook and Twitter.

Getting Started!

Below are a few of my recent sips accompanied by my tasting notes and a picture I snapped of each bottle. I had a chance to taste these selections during a recent virtual event put on by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance (who are doing a very good job at getting the word out about the region's wines). This tasting focused on red wines (including Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Lemberger) and red vinifera blends. While the Finger Lakes appellation is best known for bright and refreshing wines made from the Riesling grape variety. The region's red wines tend to have an agreeable built-in brightness that is largely influenced by the area's cooler-climate. With good natural acidity and soft-to-medium fruit flavors, these red wines are natural partners to a wide variety of foods. Much of what comes out of the Finger Lakes are small-production wines that are available at the tasting room or the producer’s website. So check out the link at the end of the note if the wine sounds good to you. Variety, so they say, is the spice of life, so keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well, my friends!

Fox Run Vineyards 2010 Lemberger

1) Fox Run Vineyards 2010 Lemberger (SRP $20): I enjoyed a glass of this wine with several people for a recent Finger Lakes red wine tasting event. This grape variety, which is also known as Blaufränkisch, was new territory for a few people, but they thoroughly enjoyed it. In the glass, it is ruby in color with pleasant black cherry and soft plum aromas alongside hints of fresh cracked pepper, ground spice, and earthy tones over a sleek and supple frame. Overall, this is a light, bright, and easy-drinking red wine that’s both interesting and food-friendly. One person – thinking ahead -- mentioned that they were going to get a few bottles of this wine for their Thanksgiving Day table. Approximately 895 cases of this wine were produced. Click here to find this wine.

Wagner Vineyards Reserve 2010 Pinot Noir

2) Wagner Vineyards Reserve 2010 Pinot Noir (SRP $27.99): The producer calls the 2010 vintage, which was largely warm-to-hot and fairly dry, “One of the longest, most optimal growing seasons in the history of the Finger Lakes.” In the glass, the wine displays a medium ruby color with cherry, raspberry, (subtle) floral perfume, and (light underlying) notes of cinnamon, clove, and cedar aromas/flavors over a supple and lean frame with a medium length finish. Overall, this is a pleasant and harmonious Pinot Noir that can be easily enjoyed on its own or with a wide variety of foods. Click here to find this wine.

Heron Hill Winery Ingle Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir

3) Heron Hill Winery Ingle Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir (SRP $20): This is a light-to-medium bodied, easy-to-drink wine with pleasant fruit  notes of dark cherry and dried cranberry interwoven with cedar shavings, cocoa dust, and a dash of sweet brown spice and a dash of white pepper (particularly on the back-end). Balanced (not bright) acidity and silky tannins give way to a satisfying, medium length finish. I enjoyed a glass of this wine with grilled salmon and on its own. (Other info: ABV 12.5%, Aged 24 months in 1 year old and older European oak barrels). Click here to find this wine.

Backyard Feathered Friends: #FeedMe

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: These wines were provided for an event. Thoughts are my own.

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Austrian Wine Biodynamic #Grüner Tasting

Hello Friends,

I recently had an opportunity to join the good folks at @AustrianWineUSA and several of my wine blogging buddies for a virtual tasting that included several tasty Demeter-certified biodynamic Austrian Grüner Veltliner wines. Interestingly enough, an Austrian philosopher named Rudolf Steiner, who was not a farmer himself, laid down the founding principles of biodynamic farming with a series of lectures in the 1920’s. In a nutshell, biodynamic farming (as it relates to the vineyard) is a natural and holistic approach to agriculture that strives for the vineyard to be a well-balanced, self-healing, and self-sustained ecosystem (with no chemical inputs and a laser-like focus on the health of the soil). Biodynamic farming takes organic to the next level and also adopts a spiritual/astronomical dimension (unlike organic farming) to wine-growing. Some of the preparations may seem unusual and elicit puzzled looks and questions, like burying cow manure in a cow’s horn during the cooler months. But some top producers subscribe to this method of farming and have been very successful at growing high-quality wines reflective of their origins.

Austrian #Biodynamic #Grüner Wine Tasting

When the grower, who is at the center of this farming process, gets things correct and the vineyard is self-sustaining and producing healthy, high quality fruit, it is believed that these wines have the greatest potential (so long as the fruit is not overly compromised in the cellar) to express terroir – the place from which the fruit is grown. And for wine enthusiasts, who seek out and appreciate distinctive wines that reflect a sense of place, biodynamic agriculture makes a fairly convincing case.

In closing, this tasting was a great opportunity to learn more about biodynamic farming and taste through different styles of Austrian Grüner Veltliner. Below you will find a picture of each wine tasted accompanied by brief notes. Grüner Veltliner is Austria's flagship (indigenous) white grape variety and the nation's most widely planted wine grape (red or white). With summer on the horizon, it’s also a delightfully bright, acid-driven, and food-friendly wine to have around the house (hint-hint). Grab several bottles and enjoy, my friends. Cheers!

Meinklang 2012 Burgenland White

1) Meinklang 2012 Burgenland White (SRP $15): This wine is a crisp and refreshing blend of 50% Grüner Veltliner, 40% Welschriesling, and 10% Muskat that boasts bright citrus fruit and green apple aromas and flavors with a delicate sea-salt minerality component and clean finish. It paired nicely with my moderately spicy shrimp-and-pineapple fried rice dish and was also quite enjoyable on its own. Click here to find this wine.

Nikolaihof Wachau 2011 Grüner Veltliner

2) Nikolaihof Wachau 2011 Grüner Veltliner (SRP $28): This is a bio-dynamically farmed wine from the Wachau region in lower Austria. It offers aromas and flavors of pear, lemon zest, hay, white spring flowers, and a nice mineral character (that sort of frames the aforementioned flavors). On the palate, it has some richness in the texture with refreshing and focused acidity and a medium-length mineral driven finish. During the tasting, the producer stated that their wines are histamine-free (chemicals that cause hangovers). I guess this is a green light for enjoying a few extra glasses. Click here to find this wine.

Sepp Moser Schnabel 2011 Grüner Veltliner

3) Sepp Moser Schnabel 2011 Grüner Veltliner (SRP $27): This is a fresh, mineral-driven example with (medium) tree fruit aromas and flavors alongside citrus peel, hay, (delicate) almond notes, and spicy components that careen nicely over a pleasant acid frame with a tangy, clean finish. Overall, a harmonious wine that starts off a little shy at first; but after several swirls starts to show its vibrant, rock-laced personality. Click here to find this wine.

Wimmer-Czerny 2011 Fumberg

4) Wimmer-Czerny 2011 Fumberg Grüner Veltliner (SRP $20.99, 375ml): This is a likeable and pretty interesting bio-dynamically grown Grüner Veltliner with a restrained tree fruit character accompanied by flint, smoke, and notes of earth and exotic spice. It’s medium-bodied with fresh acidity and paired nicely with a simple white sauce pasta dish. Click here to find this wine.

My Food Pairing: Shrimp-and-Pineapple Fried Rice

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: These wines were provided by Charles Communications for an event. Thoughts are my own.

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#SnoothPVA: Wines of Rioja Farewell

Hello Friends,

You know the old saying; all good things must come to an end. So with that, my wine blogging friends and I wrapped up a fun-filled and enlightening ‘Snooth People’s Voice Wine Awards’ weekend with a 'Wines of Rioja' Farewell event. The tasting and discussion was led by Ana Fabiano, author of The Wine Region of Rioja. Ana also serves as the U.S. Trade Director at Vibrant Rioja and is the Brand Ambassador for DOCa Rioja.

Wines of Rioja Farewell

Rioja has a long history of growing wine grapes and producing wine that goes back centuries. The region is located in northern (central) Spain and is one of two (the other being Priorat) Spanish wine growing regions to achieve DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada) recognition -- Spain's highest level of wine classification. My very first Rioja experience came by way of a dry, racy, and crisp bottle of rosé that I enjoyed with light picnic fare on a beautiful and sunny spring day. When the mood hits, I still reach for the region’s dry and refreshing pink wines. Having said that however, Rioja’s true gift to the wonderful world of wine is their highly-regarded Tempranillo-based wines. While Tempranillo takes center stage in Rioja, other red varieties grown are Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano. White grape varieties grown are Viura (primary variety also known as Macabeo), Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca.

 Time to fill these glasses and taste!

Rioja is divided into three sub-regions: Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa are to the west and benefit from a cooler climate while Rioja Baja, to the east, experiences a warmer and drier climate. The differences in macro-climates (and soil types) within the appellation allows for a wide amount of diversity and a broad range of styles in the region’s wines. And the good news is that many of these wines are affordable and have a fairly good quality-price ratio. One thing I suggest getting familiar with on Spanish DO (Denominación de Origen ) and  DOCa wine labels are the terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. This will give you some insight into the amount of aging the wine received both in barrel and bottle before release. For example, Joven is a wine that typically sees little to no barrel/bottle aging and is meant to be consumed in its youth. Whereas Gran Reserva wines must be aged a minimum of two years in the barrel and three years in the bottle. So, you won’t see a Gran Reserva on store shelves for at least five years (and it is not too often that a producer ages the wine for you).

‘The Wine Region of Rioja’

All of this information and more can be found in Ana’s informative and well-written book, which I highly recommend. The book is easy to read, comprehensive, and filled with so many stunning images of the Rioja wine region that you will want to plan a vacation. The book is under $20 on Amazon and pairs nicely with a good bottle of Rioja (trust me)! Below are a few of the wines I enjoyed as well as links to reviews from several passionate wine bloggers that I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know. Thanks for making me part of your event-packed and successful inaugural PVA weekend, Snooth. It was a blast! Cheers!

Gregory Dal Piaz and Ana Fabiano

Marques de Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2007 (SRP $22): Slightly tart cherry and raspberry fruit intermingled with spice and mineral overtones and supported by a good spine of acidity and fine-grained tannins with a medium-length finish.

Conde de Valdemar Rioja Gran Reserva 2004 (SRP $35): An inviting and nicely integrated wine showing black cherry, ripe plum, and spice box aromas with an earthy edge and a touch of dried herbs. This wine is drinking nicely now and has the potential to further develop with short-term cellaring.

Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva 1994 (SRP $80): This wine shows intriguing and complex of aromas of dark berries, pomegranate, cedar wood and lavender with hints of tea leaves and truffles. The palate has a restrained fruit character with a supple texture that leads to a pleasant, lasting finish.

Read what others are saying about the Wines of Rioja Farewell event:

Snooth writes "PVA Rioja Event"

Benito's Wine writes "Snooth PVA: Wines of Rioja"

VineSleuth writes "What is Rioja Wine?"

The V.I.P Table writes "Rioja: An Untapped Resource"

Vindulge writes "Cellar Worthy Rioja"

Backyard Feathered Friend: American Robin

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: This trip was provided by Snooth. Thoughts are my own.

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05.28.2013 Wine Reviews: Black Coyote Wines, CADE Winery, and Raymond Vinyards

Hello Friends,

I know you would never believe this, but I uncork or unscrew a new wine adventure just about every day. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence, I often tell people that wine is one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great people to meet in real life or via those wonderful social media portals called Facebook and Twitter.

Having a splash of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Below are a few of my recent sips accompanied by my tasting notes and a picture I snapped of each bottle. All three of these Cabernet Sauvignon wines are from the Napa Valley appellation. Two are from specific sub-appellations (Atlas Peak and Rutherford) within Napa Valley while one is a blend of sub-appellations.  All three, in my opinion, are pretty delicious and offer the depth, length and structure you would expect to find in a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at these price points (which are within the ball-park). Variety, so they say, is the spice of life, so keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well, my friends!

Black Coyote Reserve 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

1) Black Coyote Wines Atlas Peak Reserve 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $85): My current notes are pretty consistent with a bottle I opened up a several months ago. This is unmistakably Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It shows richness, good depth of flavor/length, ripe concentration, and sheer fruit intensity that is pure and focused from start to finish. It is full-bodied and expressive with an expansive, velvety texture and balanced tannins with layered red berry and purple stone fruit aromas/flavors that are accented by brown spice, cedar, and graham cracker crust. This wine is big, yet balanced, and lifted by a firm spine of acidity that keeps everything in check/harmony. The 2007 vintage is near impossible to find nowadays; unless you have a friend with some in his/her wine cellar. Wine Enthusiasts rated it 97 points and a regional wine chain surprisingly reduced the price to $50. Needless to say, the ‘Rating Hounds’ quickly snatched it all up. Several of my bottles are from a friend (who is a Rating Hound) who went on a mad hunt for this vintage when it received the high rating. Overall, this is a very tasty wine that’s drinking nicely now with enough acidity, fruit, and tannin to get interesting over time with proper cellaring. My plan is to hold a small vertical (2007-2010) to see if subsequent vintages are consistent (or not) with this bottle of liquid exuberance and lusciousness. Approximately 450 cases of this wine were produced. Click here to visit the producer's site.

CADE Napa Cuvée 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

2) CADE Cuvée Napa Valley 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $60): The CADE Cuvée is composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec and sourced from select Napa Valley vineyards in (Beckstoffer’s George the 3rd) Rutherford, (Beckstoffer’s Orchard Avenue) Oak Knoll, (Kenefick Ranch) Calistoga, and (Dr. Crane) St. Helena. This wine has an alluring nose of black cherry and cassis with dark berry undertones, allspice, and a kiss of sweet oak and dark chocolate. On the palate, it is smooth with a silky texture and well-integrated tannins with a fleshy mid-palate that leads to a satisfying, lingering finish. Overall, this is a nice bottle of wine to drink now that may also reward those patient enough to cellar it short-term. CADE Winery is a sister winery to PlumpJack and I have recently enjoyed other CADE selections including their Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Estate and Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Approximately 288 barrels of this wine were produced which is approximately 7.2K cases. Click here to find this wine.

Raymond Vineyards District Collection “Rutherford”

3)  Raymond Vineyards District Collection “Rutherford” 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $75): I had an opportunity to taste this selection for a recent CellarPass event. The Rutherford edition is one of two appellation specific wines from Raymond’s new small-batch “District Collection” series (the other is Calistoga). This wine displays a brilliant, deep ruby color with inviting blackberry, black currant, dark cherry, and cassis aromas with underlying mocha, and bittersweet chocolate notes along with a pleasant (sweet) spiciness. On the palate, the wine is (fairly) mouth-coating, richly textured, and layered with good depth of flavor, dusty tannins, and a long, persistent finish. I enjoyed this wine both on its own and with a smoked brisket dinner. Approximately 500 cases of this wine were produced. Click here to find this wine.

Along My Walking Trail: Great Blue Heron

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends!

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#SnoothPVA: South African Wine Lunch

Hello Friends,

Following an enjoyable and informative Wine of Austria Master Class, we jumped on a bus and headed to the Institute of Culinary Education for a South African Wine Pairing Luncheon hosted by Wines of South Africa. Going into this tasting, I had familiarity with some of the region’s refreshing Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc wines as well as Pinotage – a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that is largely unique to South Africa. As a matter of fact, a few years ago I hosted a ‘Pinotage Party’ on Twitter with fellow wine blogger @BrainWines to draw attention to the often misunderstood and underrated grape variety.

South African Wine Lunch

South Africa has a long wine growing history dating back over three centuries. However, at a time when other new world wine regions were advancing, South Africa’s wine industry was set back by apartheid (1948-1994). In response, trade sanctions were imposed, preventing South African wines from being imported into the U.S. and other markets. Since that time, South African wine has experienced a renaissance of sorts and is growing in popularity. "Chenin Blanc is no longer called Steen and varietals such as Syrah are taking their rightful place among the world’s finest," said the folks at Snooth. Adding that, “ Pinotage ... the black sheep of the vitis vinifera family, is finding new appreciation as producers begin to understand how to coax the most from each variety in South Africa’s famously complex soils.”

Curry Mussels

Our lunch, prepared by Chef Hugo Uys, who has experience with the flavors of South Africa, consisted of traditional cuisine. Everything served was delicious -- so much so that I cleaned every plate that was put before me. There were also several wines on the tasting sheet I found agreeable – particularly the red blends that I do not see too much of on store shelves here in Virginia.  

Smoked Ostrich

Wines and dishes of note start with a refreshing flute of Graham Beck Brut N.V. (SRP $18). This is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that’s crisp, clean, and versatile and priced just under the $20 sweet-spot for wine consumers. It is also widely available nationally so check with your local wine shop for a bottle. The bubbles paired nicely with the curry mussels dish (with lychees, shallots, white wine and dry sherry, in a curry emulsion), which was an extremely pleasing and flavorful dish. 

Boekenhoutskloof  ‘The Chocolate Block’ 

Our entrée, and a first for me, was a delectable smoked ostrich dish with roasted root vegetables, gorgonzola mousse, herb port reduction, homemade sultana/apricot chutney, and an oven-baked spicy potato chip. It had a texture (even taste) that I would liken to beef (not chicken like everything else) and paired well with a few of the red blended wines we had an opportunity to taste.  Some of the reds enjoyed were a 2008 Kanonkop Paul Sauer (SRP $42); a Bordeaux-style blend comprised of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot. This wine shows aromas and flavors of ripe red and dark berry fruit, plum, smoke, and anise alongside hints of leather and floral perfume with a full-bodied velvety texture. The 2010 Boekenhoutskloof  ‘The Chocolate Block’ (SRP $34), a blend of 72% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Grenache Noir, 6% Cinsaut and 2% Viognier, exhibits a superbly ripe, luscious, and silky smooth profile with well-integrated barrel character made complete by a solid acid backbone. The 2009 Glenelly 'Lady May' (SRP $49.99), a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot is a polished wine that flirts with elegance and finesse showing a dark fruit core with moderate complexity, a juicy mid-palate, and a lengthy finish. 

Tipsy Tart

For the sweet ending, we enjoyed a scrumptious and lip-smacking Tipsy Tart (tart soaked in rooibos infused brandy, vanilla ice cream and a brandy date syrup) with a splash 2010 Ken Forrester ‘T’ Late Harvest (SRP $54.99, 375ml). This tasty golden colored wine is 100% Chenin Blanc with rich aromas of dried apricot, fig, floral honey, and tropical overtones with balanced acidity. In closing, this was a wonderful (and memorable) experience that opened my eyes to new cuisine as well as several (premium) expressive red blended wines. I had such a nice time that I plan on finding several of these wines and some ostrich fillets and recreating this delightful experience (as best I can) for a few friends. Cheers! 

Read what others are saying about the South African Wine Lunch :

Snooth writes "The Wines of South Africa"

Benito's Wine writes "Snooth PVA: Wines of South Africa"

Avvinare writes "South African Wines Continue to Excite Me"

Wine Julia writes "Wines of South Africa with Lunch"

Backyard Feathered Friends: Black-capped Chickadee

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: This trip was provided by Snooth. Thoughts are my own.

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Robert Mondavi Winery tasting with CellarPass

Hello Friends,

I recently had an opportunity to join the good folks over at CellarPassTV for a live virtual tasting with Robert Mondavi Winery. CellarPassTV, who I have done previous tastings with, is an informative (weekly) live wine broadcast where some of California’s top winemakers, winery owners, and people in the food and wine industry are interviewed by host Sarah Elliman. Their website, CellarPass.com, is a leading destination for online winery reservations that’s well worth checking out if you’re thinking about visiting California wine country.

The Tasting Lineup

This broadcast featured special guest, Chef Jeff Mosher, and was recorded from the Robert Mondavi Winery kitchen. Chef Mosher prepared two dishes that sounded amazing to pair with the Robert Mondavi Winery 2010 Unoaked Chardonnay and Stags Leap District 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. Since Robert Mondavi Winery was one of the first producers to promote tours, arts, and culinary programs, it was quite fitting for CellarPassTV to do their first wine and food pairing segment from the winery’s kitchen. Sarah, the chef, and Rich Arnold, who focuses on white wine production, later enjoyed the marriage of food and wine from Robert Mondavi’s beautiful (special event) vineyard room. Click here (Part I, Part II) to watch the video recordings. The segments are fairly informative and may give you some pairing ideas for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. See my review of the wines below. Cheers!

Robert Mondavi 2010 Unoaked Chardonnay

1) Robert Mondavi Winery 2010 Unoaked Chardonnay (SRP $32): While unoaked, this Chardonnay undergoes (partial) malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging, which gives it a moderate richness and luscious texture, yet retains a good amount of brightness and balanced acidity. In the glass, it shows aromas and flavors of soft tree fruit with refreshing hints of orange blossom and shy floral notes. It really comes into its own around cellar temperature (55°F); highlighting its moderately curvaceous figure and vibrant food-partnering acidity. I enjoyed this wine on its own and with grilled tilapia the following day. This is a winery exclusive selection that can only be found at the tasting room or winery website. 1,224 cases of this wine were produced. Click here to find this wine.

Robert Mondavi Stags Leap 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

2) Robert Mondavi Winery Stags Leap District 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $85): Nicely crafted and deeply colored, full-bodied wine displaying succulent red and blueberry fruit aromas/flavors with black currant, mocha notes, and a light dusting of sage and sweet baking spice. Velvety textured, it shows a sense of elegance with refined tannins, lovely acidity and a pleasant lasting finish. It’s drinking well now but the overall structure and acidity provides potential and longevity. This selection can only be found at the winery or the Robert Mondavi website. 679 cases were produced. Click here to find this wine.

Image from my visit to Robert Mondavi Winery

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: These wines were received as a media sample for an event. Thoughts are my own.

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• Please Click Here to vote Dezel's My Vine Spot as your favorite wine blog - You can vote 1x per day!

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#SnoothPVA: Wines of Austria Master Class

Hello Friends,

My last day in Manhattan for Snooth’s People Voice Wine Awards started off with a 'Wines of Austria Master Class.' This event, dubbed “The Many Faces of Grüner Veltliner,” was led by Master Sommelier Aldo Sohm, who also had a wine in the tasting lineup. It was still mid-morning, but a vibrant and refreshing variety like Grüner Veltliner, in my opinion, was a good way to kick-start the day. Besides, I was very interested in getting to know Grüner’s many faces and styles a bit better.

Wines of Austria Master Class

Grüner Veltliner is Austria's flagship (indigenous) white grape variety and the nation's most widely planted wine grape (red or white). Some Grüner Veltliner, however, is being replaced by Zweigelt – Austria’s most widely planted red grape variety that produces fairly light-bodied, red fruit-filled wines with soft tannins. Austria is located in central Europe and borders Germany. Unlike Germany, however, the region generally produces wines that are drier in style and has a climate that can be likened to Burgundy (warmer than Germany). This bodes well for some of Austria’s fuller-bodied red grape varieties (e.g., Blaufränkisch) that ripen late and require the warmth and longer growing season to fully develop ripe and complex flavors.

All ready to go!

Up until this tasting, I was largely familiar with one-to-two faces of Grüner Veltliner – namely examples that are fresh and sleek with a range of tree, citrus, and stone-fruit aromas and flavors, brisk acidity, and a distinct underlying spicy character (particularly white pepper). Selections like these are typically under $15 and I’ve found them in the past at a few nearby wine shops. The first two wines we started off the tasting with -- a 2011 Pfaffl Austrian Pepper (SRP $13.99) and 2011 Stadlmann (SRP $15.99) -- were both delightful and resembled the style of Grüner Veltliner I was more accustomed to – with the latter having a pleasant mineral edge.

Enjoying 'The Many Faces of Grüner Veltliner'

Before the tasting started, there was one question I had after reviewing the tasting sheet. I was curious to find out the difference between, let’s say a $10 Grüner Veltliner versus an example that’s $30 or more (besides $20 or so dollars). Unlike Chardonnay, for example, with Grüner Veltliner you can typically remove expense factors like pricey new French oak barrels from the final equation. The more I sniffed and sipped my way through the wines, the answer to my question (which I hadn’t asked yet) was becoming quite apparent. Austria has a wide variety of soil types, including mineral-rich, rocky soils – as conveyed to us in detail by Master Sommelier Aldo Sohm. Clearly, these rock-based soil types in particular, seem to bring out a more interesting, more mineral-driven – even a (fairly) rich -- rendition of Grüner Veltliner (though the richness may have more to do with the wine-making). Additionally, many vineyards are trending organic and biodynamic with minimal intervention in the cellar in a quest to craft terroir-driven wines that reflect the land and vintage.

 Master Sommelier Aldo Sohm

Some wines of note were Aldo’s interesting and tasty (limited production) 2011 Sohm and Kracher (SRP $38), which was delicate with a lovely texture, boasting lime, citrus peel, hay, and a touch of spice with a firm mineral acidity. A different side of Grüner Veltliner came through in a bottle of 2011 Prager Stockkultur (SRP $90). This selection shows expressive and ripe tropical and stone-fruit aromas/flavors with a (fairly mouth-filling) richness that’s balanced with fresh acidity and a touch of sweetness in the lengthy finish. Even a little more unique, yet quite enjoyable, was the 2011Veyder Marlberg Kreutles (SRP $30), which offers a pleasant tropical core followed by nuances of spice, fennel seed, and a pretty floral perfume component with an agreeable citrus based, yet mineral laced, refreshing acidity. Another nice example came by way of a bottle of 2011 F.X. Pichler Smaragd Dürnsteiner Liebenberg. This wine is well-balanced with (focused) tree fruit and sweet floral tones alongside citrus hints, (exotic) spice and mineral notes with a beautiful texture, good depth of flavor, and a crisp, medium-length stony finish.

Primary rock is abundant

In closing, I did discover several very likeable -- and even age-worthy -- (new) faces of Grüner Veltliner that I was not completely familiar with that I plan on revisiting in the near future. With warmer weather ahead, don’t pass up on a versatile, food-friendly, and (generally) pocket-friendly wine like Grüner Veltliner to satisfy your spring and summertime sipping needs. Cheers!

Read what other wine bloggers are saying about the Wines of Austria:

Snooth writes "AUSTRIAN GRUNER VELTLINER"

Benito's Wine writes "Snooth PVA: Wines of Austria"

VineSleuth writes "Gruner Veltliner: A Delicious Puzzle"

The Reverse Wine Snob writes "Gruner Love Featuring the Stadlmann"

Jameson Fink writes "High Line Park and Gruner Veltliner"

Vindulge writes "So you think you know Grüner"

Wine Julia writes "SnoothPVA: Terroir Driven Grüner ..."

V.I.P Table writes "My 2013 Vinous Revelation: Grüner Veltliner"

Meg Houston Maker writes "Lingering Flavors, Lingering Questions"

Backyard Feathered Friends: The American Goldfinch

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: This trip was provided by Snooth. Thoughts are my own.

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