Hopler Gruner Veltliner

Name Hopler

Varietal Gruner Veltliner

Region Burgenland

Country Austria

Year 2014

Price $14.98

Here is a wine that I find myself pulling out a lot for dinner parties. Light, zesty, and it can really stand up to some strong flavors. Gruner Veltliner, mainly produced in Austria, is a dry white wine known for its acidity, citrus notes, and green-ness (probably not a word, but think grass, green beans, etc.). The herbaceous quality of this wine is often described as white pepper. Did I lose you on all the weird descriptive words? Next time you go for a glass of wine, before taking a sip, use your nose and really think about what all is going on in the glass. Then take a sip and see if you taste the same things you smelled. Now try and name all the things you taste and smell. For me, this ends up being a string of made up words (like "green-ness") and super bizarre things you don't typically associate with wine (like wax paper, which is actually a legit description for Gruner Veltliner). This is the basis of blind tasting! Now you're half way to becoming a sommelier! ;-)

Back to the Gruner... Pairing wine with food is one of my favorite things to do! I love to cook, so I really like breaking down each flavor component and thinking about how a wine might complement a dish. NERD ALERT! The reason I love breaking out the Gruner for dinner parties is because it can hold its own when paired with spicy food, rich food, and strong vegetables. It is known for its unique ability to pair with asparagus! Like your wine with a little cheese? Pick up a nice creamy Camembert! You can thank me later :-)

This Hopler is getting a 3.8/5

Prost!