Laurenz V Austrian Friendly Grüner Veltliner 2008

I had a friendly chat with my neighbour; I enjoyed a friendly kick to kick in the park with Pat; she has a friendly demeanour; my mum is not so friendly with my dad anymore.

These are some examples of the word ‘friendly’ you may come across if you are emigrating to Australia and cannot speak a lick of English – grammar 101 you might say. There are many uses for the word friendly, but the most intriguing one came from a recent purchase down at Blackhearts and Sparrows in Brunswick; the Laurenz V Austrian Friendly Grüner Veltliner 2008. It reminds me of bad English/Cantonese translations on Cantonese food products!

A curious wine with elegant white pear and clean acid fill the nose with a little hint of white flowers – oleander I’d say after about 30 minutes. The palate is similar to the nose with citrus dominating the white pear. A nice wine, even for a GV, as one of the new cultural elite Melbourne sommeliers now refers to Grüner Veltliner.

Drink with smoked chicken cold cuts
Drink till 2011
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Screwcap 12.5%v/v $29 Blackhearts and Sparrows, Lygon Street Brunswick

Domäne Wachau Terrassen Federspiel 2007 Grüner Veltliner

'Although I am Australian, I find myself more in sympathy with the Austrian version!' David Chalmers.

Does that make sense? Didn't think so. Anyway, while we are on the subject of Austria, let's talk about Gruner Veltliner.

Gruner Veltliner is the most widely propagated grape in Austria accounting for over 33% of the country's total vineyard area. Today the best areas in Austria for this variety are the three adjoining areas along the Danube - the Wachau, Kremstal and Kampta. And it is the Kampta area that is home to Domane Wachau's Terrassen Federspiel 2007 Gruner Veltliner.

'The Flavour of wine is like delicate poetry.' Louis Pasteur.

If this is true, then this Gruner is more like, 'There once was a man from Nantucket...'

This Gruner Veltliner is typical of a young aromatic wine; straw to look at with very little hue. On the nose is a bit of white pear with the hint of white flowers. Right up front in the mouth is an unexpected spritz which is followed by an almost astringent mouth feel - not much there really. Let's hope its bottle variation hey!

However, the better wines from low yielding vineyards can be amazingly complex, full of exotic tropical fruits, white pepper and even lentils, fair dinkum I tell ya!

Drink till 2010 or 2018 if its a good one

Drink with grilled Rockling

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