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Posts Tagged“gruner veltliner”

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2014 Gruner Veltliner

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I’ve been lucky when it comes to Gruner Veltliner, one of the great grapes of Austria. Through friends who have worked for various importers over the years, I’ve been introduced to some incredible renditions — expressive wines of intensity, balance and flat-out deliciousness. With that as context, I’ve been a bit let down by most New York Gruner. I used to chalk it up to young vines, poor picking decisions and winemakers getting their footing with it in the cellar. I still think that’s true in some cases, but I’ve also been guilty of not allowing the grapes to express what…

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Fulkerson Winery 2012 Gruner Veltliner

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The nose on this Fulkerson Winery 2012 Gruner Veltliner ($14) isn’t as intense as the best gruners I’ve had from Austria — the region where it is most planted and known — but it does show nice varietal character with its light nose of pineapple, peach and citrus with notes of white pepper and citrus blossom. Bright and citrusy on the palate, it is a bit lacking in concentration, but brings a bit more spice than the nose and a juicy mouthfeel. It’d be refreshing on a hot summer day and was actually a nice pairing with some black bean-cilantro…

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Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner

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Gruner veltliner, a variety typically associated with Austria, is still new to New York, with only a handful of folks growing it and making it into wine. But, the early returns have been interesting. Much like riesling, gruner seems to tell the tale of the growing season in a very direct, concise way. Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner ($20) — the winery’s first commercial gruner release — is more lithe than the 2010 bottling that I was lucky enough to taste, but still has me excited for the grape’s potential in the Finger Lakes. Showing aromas of aloe,…

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New Releases at the Niagara Wine Trail Wine and Culinary Festival

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Last weekend’s Niagara Wine Trail Wine & Culinary Festival was a chance for the trail to raise money for promotions while extending its bottles to a wine drinking audience that may still be a little shy about stepping foot into an actual winery. The site — Academy Park in Lewiston, NY — seemed like perfect setting to appeal to the summertime festival-going crowds that know the town for its jazz festival, peach festival and the live shows at Artpark Performing Arts Center. My hope that the event would be a great opportunity for me to catch up with winemakers and owners…

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Grape Rising: Gruner Veltliner Makes Its Case in the Finger Lakes

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Just-harvested Gruner Veltliner grapes (Photo courtesy of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars) By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor On paper, Gruner Veltliner — the grape grown primarily in Austria and other Eastern European nations — is an ideal grape to grow in the Finger Lakes. First and perhaps more importantly, it’s winter hardy — not as hardy as riesling, but more hardy than gewurztraminer and many other varieties being grown successfully in the region. It’s also an early ripener, said to ripen before gewurztraminer and riesling. The skins are thick too, even thicker than chardonnay, so is affected less by…

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