Charming Gruner Vetliner, Laurenz V

Laurenz Moser's grandfather once told him "Concentrate on the important tasks in life and do them well. The art of good Grüner Veltliner is to cultivate perfect grapes and simply not ruin them in the cellar!"

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   I am fortunate enough that I too spent time with my grandfather, and he as well shared much the same philosophy with me: what you do, do well. One would think that this philosophy is redundant; that all people must think and feel much the same. But the bitter truth in life, and in winemaking, is that not everyone does.

   How powerful it is then, as a writer and  wine steward, to see a resurgence in quality (as opposed to quantity). There was a time in the wine-world, not so long ago, when quality truly was hit-or-miss, and an aficionado had to be well versed in the market to avoid the pitfalls. These days, one can almost (stress almost) pick any bottle of wine off of a shelf in a reputable winestore and be pleasantly surprised.

   Part of the reason for this is winemakers like Laurenz Moser V. and his grandfather, professor Dr. Larurenz Moser III (who systematically re-invented grape trellising and revolutionized that part of the industry right across Europe).  Gruner Vetliner (known as GruVe to the hips kids in Vienna) is the only grape that Laurenz V works with and work with it he does; releasing five different examples of the most important grape in Austria.

2005 "Charming" Gruner Vetliner by Laurenz Moser V
Kamptal region, Austria
http://www.laurenzfive.com/
$30 CAD   **** EXCELLENT VALUE ****
http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

soil:   granite, gneiss, mica-slate
vines:   2/3rds are over 30 years old

maturation:   100% steeltank (stahltank), kept on the lees as long as possible

• visual:   clear; medium intense gold-hay core with slight watery rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense still developing aromas similar to Riesling; light petrol, plastic, but with a rich exotic fruit background of pineapple and caramel, strong mineral backbone running throughout, finish of small wildflowers
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (crabapple and red currant) acids, moderate+ alcohol, moderate+ body, moderately intense and developed flavors that mimick the nose quite well, emphasis on crabapple and red currant to open the palate with racy minerality throughout and a distinct pineapple/apricot finish
• conclusion:   this wine has reached it's zenith; enjoy now to 2014 as the concentration of flavors is rich, the acids have lots of life. I would assume that by 2015 it will be starting it's decline. Will not improve with aging
• PAIRINGS:   want simple pleasure? pair this with raclette which is a beautifully browned and bubbling cheese symphony... the the acids will keep the fatty cheese from overpowering and the light aromatics will balance the heaviness from the raclette as well

the vineyards in KAMPTAL

   Laurenz Moser V is the fifth generation of Mosers to enter the world of winemaking since 1125. How fantastic for him then, to sit in the vineyard with his twin daughters and watch as they too learn the words of their great-grandfather:

   "What you do in life is worth doing well."

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Stift Goettweig, Gruner Vetliner, Austria

So many new words it's like a foreign language... well, that's because it's a foreign language! Gruner Vetliner is known primarily as the white wine of Austria (where it is over 30% of all wine production), Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

     Gruner Vetliner, or GruVe as the hip kids in Austria call it, produces a crisp white wine capable of greatness. It can be enjoyed quite young (evidenced by the 2009 I'm enjoying today) or can cellar well (as is evidenced by http://www.jancisrobinson.com/ giving high points to the 1990 Grüner Veltliner "Vinothekfüllung" Smaragd, Knoll, Austria). It also has in interesting heritage...

     It turns out that no one really knew where the GruVe came from (for certain), and so some researchers - researched. To no avail, still they couldn't deduce both of the parent grapes until... until someone (no idea who) discovered a solitary vine in the abandoned vineyard of St. Georgen outside of Einstadt, Austria. After many years, finally the mystery father appeared! And so, work is being done now to bring it back to the point where crops can be made from St.Georgener-Rebe so that researchers can analyze it properly.

     Pretty neat, huh!?

     Almost as cool as the story of Stift Goettweig, the monastery in Austria that produces the GruVe I'm tasting: the above picture is inside the cathedral.

     Founded in 1083 (as per the label), Stift Goettweig produces a special type of GruVe called Messwein, which can only be called such when it has been produced with permission of a Benedictine Bishop, and follows strict guidelines. Having grown up Irish Catholic, I can well believe the guidelines would be strict .

     Well now the secular has moved in, and though the wine is made under the auspices of the monastery, it is not the monastery Brothers who are toiling in the fields or heading up production. The traditions have been maintained however, from the way the fields are maintained, to the methods of vinification and maturation. Some oak is used now, which certainly did not happen in 1083, but the old ways are still alive and well in the Wachau Valley.

2009 Gruner Vetliner, Messwein

from Stuft Goettweig, Wachau Valley, Austria

http://www.weingutstiftgoettweig.at/

Very Good Value

12% ABV, $22 CAD @ Fox's Reach Wine Store, Maple Ridge

http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

• visual:   clean; pale straw core with gold highlights and a light watery rim
• nose:     clean; moderately intense youthful aromas showing signs of development; layers of slate minerality, wild grasses, little summer meadow flowers, ripe stonefruit especially apricot, light honey nuances, soft oaky finish
• palate:    clean; dry, moderate+ to fully intense crisp yellow grapefruit acids, moderate+ (supple) body, moderate+ to full alcohol (don't serve too warm), moderate+ intense youthful flavors showing signs of development; yellow grapefruit, layers of minerality, crisp stonefruit, young pears, light backbone with soft oak, pronounced peppery finish. Good balance, very good structure, short to medium finish.
• conclusion:   Well made entry level Gruner, this wine drinks very well right now, and will continue to do so until the end of 2012. Will not improve with cellaring.
• PAIRINGS:    As always, the wine of a region pairs well with the food of a region, but in this I'll move outside-the-box. Try this delightfully crisp wine with butter braised rabbit and fresh pasta with wild thyme; the light gameyness of the meat will play off the spice in the wine, the butter will blend with the buttery texture of the wine, but also play off the acids and the wild thyme plays off the light grass/ripe meadow flowers.

Looking forward to more from Stift-Goettweig!!!

CINCIN~!!!    SLAINTE~!!!    CHEERS~!!!

Gruner Vetliner, a rare varietal

     Last month I has the decided pleasure of tasting some brilliant Gruner Vetliner from Fred Loimer (the undisputed king of GV in Lower Austria http://www.loimer.at/ ). The tasting was hosted by http://www.marquiswines.ca/ and Terrarosa Imports at the visually stunning LIFT restaurant (http://www.liftbarandrestaurant.ca/ )in Coal Harbor (Vancouver), BC. My apologies to all concerned for not getting this blog out sooner - summer vacations have a way of turning even the most dedicated blogger into even more of a hedonist then usual.

     I have to admit to being somewhat nervous when I approached... after all, LIFT is a posh sort of place and I just a lowly blogger (I counted 2 Lamborghini's within a half block) and Gruner Vetliner is not a varietal I am familiar with. But the staff at LIFT were incredibly gracious and Fred Loimer turned out to be not only a gentleman, but truly generous with his time and information. We were given the entire upper deck that looks out over Coal Harbor and North Vancouver, and in between dazzling sips of wine were treated to sushi & canapes. Perhaps it can be said that wine bloggers don't make very good money, but the perks? The perks of this business are truly delightful.

2009 Gruner Vetliner "Kamptal" $28

• nose is moderate+ notes of floral such as cherry blossoms and chrysanthemum
• moderate+ crisp green apple acids hitting the palate immediately (in a good way) with tangerine zest & minerality close behind and a long, limey - terroir finish
• wonderful summer wine, very good structure and well balanced moderate- to light body, easy wine to pair with summer foods especially white fish (halibut, swordfish, red snapper)

2006 "Speigel" Gruner Vetliner

• moderate+ intense nose filled with grass, wet hay, damp clay and oak
• fully intense citrus acids with a long finish of currants and all notes from the nose as well
• moderate- body, moderate alcohol & an excellent structure. This can pair with seafood or try with your roast turkey in the Autumn!

2006 "Kaferberg" Gruner Vetliner

• very light nose that needed some coaxing - I would serve only lightly chilled to allow the stonefruit and orange blossom to showcase
• full bitey acids with a palate full of the limey-mineral terroir and yellow grapefruit
• as soon as I tasted this I thought of Coquilles-St-Jacques... fresh Qualicum Bay scallops, cream & cheese will off-set these dramatic acids & huge palate full of citrus

2008 "Langenlois Steinmassl" Reisling

• fully perfumed nose with rich floral notes evoking memories more of muscat  then gewurztraminer; black lilies and orange blossom dominate
• full acids with the same lime-yellow grapefruit notes that seem to demonstrate this particular terroir
• please don't drink this yet. Buy yourself 6 bottles and open one every 6 months to watch a thing of great beauty evolve. Moderate body, excellent structure, I found the acids still overpowering and didn't allow for the full palate to showcase as I believe (IMHO) it will in only 12 to 18 months
• when it comes to fruition (pardon the pun) - try serving with free-range chicken and peach-rhubarb compote.. layer upon layer of flavor. Another food direction? Tea smoked salmon on bannock

2009 "Lois" Gruner Vetliner

• soft nose created (I imagine) for mid-afternoon decks and sandals... starfruit, cantaloupe & light minerality
• moderate acids with the palate mimicking the nose impeccably
• just enough acids to open the palate, this could start a meal or finish an afternoon. Food pairings? Think light! Shrimp salad, some steamed crab dumplings or fish cakes.

2008 "Lenz" Riesling

• moderate- intense nose of soft cherry blossoms and minerality
• moderate- acids with the palate, once again, mimicking the nose due to great craftsmanship
• same thoughts on this wine: sit on the patio, kick back your heels, read a good book and sip the wine. Food pairings? Bergamot smoked duck would be a natural.

2008 Schellman "Gumpoldskirchen" (ain't that a mouthful?!)

• a blend of 5 white varietals
• a full- intense nose that carries off rich floral notes from the modest amounts of Muscatel and has a lush, round body from the Chardonnay
• moderate green apple acids, moderate intense flavors of petrol, grass, orchardfruit (peach, nectarine, apricot) and of course the lime mineral terroir
• a soft palate, moderate+ body and excellent structure, this wine is drinking incredibly well now and will continue to do so for 2 years or more. Serve with your main course and don't be afraid to match stronger flavors against this wine: my thoughts? grilled dogfish (a BC shark) with a spot-prawn risotto & buttered swiss chard

2007 Reserve Chardonnay

• soft grassy petrol nose... was elegant at 14C
• moderate acids with moderate palate of orchardfruit & young kiwis
• simple, sophisticated. moderate+ body and long, developed structure, this is well balanced and yearns for food to draw more notes from it - I would use grilled foods to emphasize through contrast

2007 Langenlois Pinot Noir

• let me start by saying that I was completely unfamiliar with Austrian Pinot Noir, and had only German to compare to...
• a much richer nose then I was expecting; moderate nose of all the usual suspects: cherries, leathery oak, a hint of tobacco
• moderate acids and moderate tannins, the palate mimicking the nose with great expertise
• I would say this wine is drinking well now, and will reach it's height quite soon - not made to cellar for more then a few years it drinks like a good Burgundian (if I understand this correctly)

2005 Stienmassl Auslese Riesling

• decadence in a bottle
• fully intense nose of plastic and layer  upon layer upon layer of cherries
• moderate acids give way easily to a rich palate of cherries (in all their forms), meyer lemons & kumquats
• call me a radical but I would try serving this with Foie Gras au Torchon, grilled breads & a cherry & rhubarb chutney. It may seem unoriginal that I'm suggesting rhubarb yet again - but that tartness will contrast the wine in a most delightful way.

So! So an excellent tasting with a vast profile of Lower Austria's winemaking from Fred Loimer. I was completely and utterly impressed & cannot wait to try more product from this truly skilled craftsman.

Cin-cin ! Slainte!