Gary and Gru-Ve...

Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV is about as far removed from the image of a stuffy wine reviewer as you can get. He has an insane enthusiasm and clearly loves wine. Very 'American' if there is such a thing. Very entertaining.

Heres he is reviewing some Gruner Veltliners. Brilliant.

Feeling Gru-Ve...

Gruner Veltliner is being planted in Canterbury ! In a climate where Riesling excels, this is a really exciting development. GV has certainly taken off around the world in the last few years and there is fledgling interest here in NZ too. When released, the Sandihurst Gruner Veltliner will certainly be amongst the first.

GV is a variety often made full bodied and dry with a firm mineral backbone. Citrus/peach flavours are common as well as its trademark peppery characteristic. The wines usually are a naturally high acid structure and, like Riesling, have a great ability to age, developing intriguing petrol and honeycomb notes as it does.

If you havent tried a Gruner before then Terry Thiese (one of the US's more well known and passionate importers of German and Austrian wine) sums it up well

“If sauvignon blanc and viognier had a filthy weekend, and their evil
spawn was loosed upon the world, grüner would be the result”