This week I picked up a bottle of Singing Gruner Veltliner (pronounced GREW-nuhr Felt-LEEN-her) made by Laurenz V at Sunshine Foods in St. Helena. I haven’t spent much time exploring this predominately Austrian varietal but I always seem to enjoy it when given the chance. With a reputation for pairing well with food, I thought I’d try it out with our Super Bowl Sunday nachos. The result was a delicious pairing.Gruner Veltliner is the most widely planted grape variety in Austria. You won’t find any Gruner in Napa or Sonoma. The closest wine growing region in the United States where you will find some plantings is in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The name Gruner is a German word that means green, referring to the crisp acidity and bright flavors that are characteristic of the varietal. Gruner has a characteristic white peppery flavor and is considered an extremely food friendly wine.
The 2007 Singing Gruner Veltliner from Laurenz V. has a beautiful perfumed nose with flavors of honeysuckle, apricot and a bit of the classic white pepper. It retails for $14.99.
Written by Linzi
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