Tasted: Austria

By / Wine + Drinks / September 11th, 2013 / 1

Or perhaps that title should read: Good Wine Is Made In Austria. Austria sometimes gets overshadowed by its wine-producing neighbours – France, Italy and Germany. Yet, Austria’s wines are as delicious as any from those other regions. If you haven’t yet tried some Austrian wine, here’s a list to get you started. If you have, then by all means, search out these wines and add them to your favourites.

Hopler Pinot Blanc 2007

Polished medium-gold. Nose of ripe apples with pears and spice. Full-bodied with high acidity. A clean, pure Pinot Blanc, tasting of apples with overtones of banana and honey. Drink now.

Zantho St Laurent 2010

A nose of blueberry, black cherry, raspberry jam and currants. This dark berry–driven wine is a nice find from Austria with blueberry/raspberry-jam flavours and bramble-spice notes backed up by good acid and medium tannins. Try with red-meat dishes.

Salomon-Undhof Von Stein Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2006

Here is a superb Grüner that offers great depth and ripeness. Light yellow in colour, the aromatic nose of pineapples, honey, caramel, pepper and apples are built on a full-bodied frame. The finish is very long with mouth-watering acidity, but without any sense of heaviness. Drink it over the next 10 years.

Leth Grüner Veltliner Steinagrund Lagenreserve 2009

Here is a great introduction to the world of Grüner that will not break the bank. It is light yellow with a green tinge, and the bouquet of honey, white pepper, grapefruit, flowers and green pepper meet up with a spicy and somewhat oily palate. Nonetheless, there is still enough acidity to backstop the finale.

Weingut Nigl Grüner Veltliner Gartling 2009

I have always been a big fan of Nigl. Light green yellow in colour, the crisp personality of the wine is layered with banana, apples, grapefruit, herbs and spice. There is very good length and a medium body. Pair this with herb-crusted halibut, or grilled pork chops with asparagus, in a hollandaise sauce.

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