Austria. I love Austria. I’ve been there several times and
each time I’ve experienced this visceral sense of belonging. I have no
knowledge of ancestry there, but sometimes what you feel is greater than what
you know. If I were one to believe in
former lives I might conclude that one of mine had ties there.
What’s interesting is the last time I was in Austria was in
2005, the first was in 1991 and if I have any regrets it is that I didn’t
discover Grüner Veltliner until about 8 years ago. Now I have yet another reason why I simply
must return! Grüner Veltliner is the most important native grape to Austria.
Over 75% of the varietal comes from Austria.
Today’s Wine Wednesday feature the 2012 Pfaffl Zeiseneck
Grüner Veltliner is the entry level Grüner Veltliner from winemaker Roman Josef Pfaffl. The wine comes from the Weinviertel
region near Vienna which also borders the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Zeiseneck
is the name of the vineyard the grapes are sourced from.
As days start getting warmer I start turning to lighter fair
and wines such as this. On the nose, herbal notes and a distinct minerality
with subtle hints of smoke. I enjoyed the slightly round mouth feel with a
clean crisp finish and what some may describe as a bit of pepper on the finish
as well. I think of it more as a slight
tingle on the tongue that can often accompany a wine aged in stainless tanks.
This for me adds to the refreshment and makes it a great summer sipper.
The vineyard for this wine lies on the largest fossil oyster
reef in the world and the terroir seemingly predisposes it for pairing with shellfish. Try with Steamed Mussels or Clams alla Puttanesca. In fact use it in the
recipes as well. To print or save the recipes, click the links below.
Clams alla Puttanesca