It’s a Grüner Veltliner, one I haven’t tried yet. There’s really not much more that needs to be said about why it’s here. Well, add in wild ferment, and unfined / unfiltered, and it’s pretty much guaranteed once I learned of its existence, I’d have to give it a go.
In the glass
Hazy. Light, lemon / hay. It is an unprepossessing wine, but I like that. It isn’t promising more than it thinks it can deliver.
The nose
Nada. I keep going back to it over the course of the evening, with no luck.
The palate
Medium body. Crisp, dry, nicely balanced. Nice. I’m not really picking up any distinct flavours. I supposed technically that makes it muddled, or something, but it doesn’t come across that way. More like a blend I can’t unpick. The finish does have a faint hint of grapefruit, but not enough to be worrisome.
I eventually come up with ‘muted lemon’ and ‘apricot’ as flavours on the palate, but they aren’t overpowering. Crisp is what I keep coming back to, and my notes say it is the ‘most noticeable thing to me’. But I also notice I go with crisp rather than zesty or anything. Perhaps it is the medium body, or just a lower level of acidity, but that racy zestiness you get in some white wines isn’t there. That’s fine, it doesn’t really need it here.
Rating
Yummy, with a Pretty on visuals. Easy to drink on its own, but also good with food. I had it with a selection of cheeses, and that worked well. Although, as you may or may not know, Grüner veltliner is a wine famous for its ability to pair with a wide range of things.
Sustainability
Wild ferment, no filtration or fining.
The technical info
12.5% ABV; Grüner Veltliner; £17.99 from King Street Cellar.