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THE STORY
Here's what Austrian wines have to give, first commercially, second aesthetically:
. Competitive, snappy, vigorous dry whites at the low end of the market.
. The best values on earth for monumentally structured dry white wines.
. World-class dry Rieslings redolent of soil, unmanipulated, tasting entirely at home,
and presenting flavors more curly, baroque and slavic than Alsatian wines.
. Grüner Veltliner! The last of the great European white-wine grapes. Unique. Adaptable.
Food-loving, and delicious. TERRY THEISE, IMPORTER
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Nigl Gruner Veltliner Freiheit 2007
The 2007 Gruner Veltliner Alte Reben predictably offers an alter ego to the Piri, which is how the site (largely 40 year old vines in the Weinzierlberg), not Nigl, insists on having it. Low-toned and darkly-hued, with ripe late autumn pears, tobacco, rhubarb, red currant, mint, caraway, and coffee, this evinces a wonderful sense of richness and textural richness (at 13.5% alcohol, incidentally) and introduces a twist of pepper and an iodine-like mineral note in its long, pedal point-like finish. Why -Alte Reben- and not -Weinzierlberg- on the label? Nigl finally answered that question for me this year. These old vines aren-t his. And when he first contracted for the grapes, he wanted to use a name that would give him cover if his source changed. Fortunately, the contract has lasted.
Wine Advocate: 94
Regular Price: $39.99Coupon Code Price: $27.99
Bottle Size: 750 ml
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MORE GREAT GRUNERS:
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Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner Hefeabzug 2007
This is the sur-lie bottling that has become a Nikolaihof icon; never racked, and redolent of sweet lees and fresh oysters; this is slimmer of course than the '06, but it's peony all the way; white lilac, less toasty, more winsome aromas-I like it best of any vintage I've had. Terry Thiese, Importer
Regular Price: $28.99Sale Price: $23.19
Bottle Size: 750 ml
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Salomon Gruner Veltliner Hochterrassen 2007
This is one of our front & center value GVs, always correct and snappy, This `05 is richer and drier than the more polished filigree `04; it's nutty, sorely, lentilly and zips with adamant snap and pepper. It's estate-bottled, by the way, from a variety of high terraces on loess and river deposits.
Regular Price: $16.99Sale Price: $13.59
Bottle Size: 750 ml
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Walter Glatzer Gruner Veltiner 2007
The 2007 is zippy and yet creamy as the '07s are, with a Tuscan olive-oil pepperiness, and it's true-true-TRUE, and what else is there to say?
GREAT FOR SUMMERTIME QUAFFING!
Regular Price: $13.99Sale Price: $11.19
Bottle Size: 750 ml
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Schloss Gobelsburg Gruner Steinsetz 2007
The 2007 Gruner Veltliner Steinsetz offers a veritable litany of varietally typical flavors: musk melon, green bean, lentil, rhubarb, and beet, all tinged with white pepper. This bright, juicy, refreshing Gruner Veltliner has a heart of wet stone, seemingly reflecting the site's combination of rocks, gravel, and underlying loess. But the cool sense of polish and sheer refreshment has the upper hand for now. Deeper root vegetable notes and a more savory expression of minerality well up as it is exposed to air. I would look for outstanding performance for at least 5-7 years.
Wine Advocate: 91
Regular Price: $23.99Sale Price: $19.19
Bottle Size: 750 ml
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