Vin Vino, Palo Alto
Tasted Saturday, June 19, 2010 by drwine2001 with 301 views
An enormously interesting tasting. Very high quality and fascinating variety of weight, intensity, and flavors in these wines. Gruner is an underappreciated chameleon of a grape.
2008 Weingut Hirsch Grüner Veltliner #1
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
High toned citrus aromatics. Light, clean, and bright. Dry, not particularly prominent acidity but still refreshing. Some earthiness does come through at the end.
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2008 Hiedler Grüner Veltliner Thal
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
Pungent herbs and green tones. Initially, this has a fuller entry than the Hirsch, but it becomes leaner and more austere on the finish. Dry, not fruit-driven, but it certainly possesses orange rind flavors. Expands in texture and shows attractively persistent minerality. Amongst the lighter styled wines in the tasting, this was my favorite, and I liked it much more than I did back in January.
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2008 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Mühlpoint
Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
More deeply pitched nose of orange oil. Here's a Gruner that is hard to describe, but after a relatively rich first palate impression, it becomes lean with some bitterness. Not harmonious or even well integrated at this point.
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2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Kammerner Renner
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
Subdued aromatics which then display a creamed corn quality as it warms. Riper, richer, bigger wine than any of the prior 3 examples with fruit that still holds to the citrus theme. Really smooth feel, but this is given shape by great minerality and acidity leading to a bright finish. Already complex with interesting inner mouth perfume. Excellent!
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2008 Weingut Hirsch Grüner Veltliner Lamm
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
The only wine where the character of the fruit on the nose suggested ripe yellow peach rather than citrus. Biggest wine of the bunch with a viscous, almost Vendanges Tardives feel. This actually smells like Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris and feels like Grand Cru white Burgundy on the palate. Pretty grand scale, but less focus due to a slight deficiency of acid, or so it seems. Slight kernel of bitterness at the end too. Not the balance I am seeking.
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2008 Weingut Josef Jamek Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten
Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Darkest yellow of the series. Citric fruit again. Huge volume, mouth filling weight, a tad of residual sugar. What magnificent power, acidity, and soil tones underneath all the fruit. Very long, surprisingly cool finish. Uniquely Gruner and extremely impressive.
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2008 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Lamm
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
Spiritous, floral, and perfumed like a Gewurztraminer! Curiously thin and harsh like that grape with cyanic bitterness at the end. Good minerality but just not enough fruit and too strange. My least favorite wine by a mile.
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