O'Leary Walker Gruner Veltliner 2022

 

The last O'Leary Walker Gruner I saw was way back from the 2015 vintage. It has been MIA since but the new winemaking team has brought it back and it's a good thing they did. This Gruner tops. Go here. 

The Hydropath Society Gruner Veltliner 2021

 

Gruner Veltliner has found a happy home in the Adelaide Hills. Take a whiff of this wine from the Hydropath Society and you can't help but want to imbibe. A fabulous drink and a blistering bargain, find it.

Dirt Candy Pink Pet Nat 2021

 

A Pet Nat made with Topper's Mountain Shiraz and Gruner grown in Gamilaroi Country - New England, NSW. A sapping fizz awaits with a little touch of yeastiness still loitering.

Hahndorf Hill Gru Gruner Veltliner 2021

 

Brightness, freshness, happiness all in one. What a fabulously refreshing wine.

Hahndorf Hill White Mischief Gruner Veltliner 2021

 

Gruner Veltliner is a variety rarely seen on this tasting bench. Mind you, there is not a lot of it around in Australia but Hahndorf Hill in the Adelaide Hills has made this variety their hero. And damn, aren't they shaking the cage by producing some fascinating examples. This White Mischief is said to be their New World style of Gruner where the emphasis is on expressing the primary fruits. Strap yourself in!

Hahndorf Hill Gru Gruner Veltliner 2020

 

Get your groove on with this GRU. Hahndorf Hill's classic Gruner Veltliner, this is a fantastic wine and then some.

Burn Cottage Vineyard Riesling Grüner Veltliner 2017

The explosion of fruit in the mouth from this exciting blend is something else. Wow!

Mitchell Wines Kinsfolk Gruner Veltliner 2017

Gruner is all the rage in Australia at the moment with a number of producers falling over themselves to get it in the dirt. Here's a respectable release from Mitchell Wines.

Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner Kaiserberg 2017

An easy-drinking import brought to these shores by Cellarhand.

Stadt Krems Grüner Veltliner Lössterrassen 2018

A delicious and refreshing wine. There's plenty of sessional appeal here. I could see myself sitting at a bar ordering a glass and repeating the process a few times.

Smidge Wines The Gruve Gruner Veltliner 2015

I met Matt Wenk a couple of months ago when I was wandering around McLaren Vale. He shares the same winery facilities as Andy Coppard of Lino Ramble. A spontaneous tasting, Matt was kind enough to show me three of his wines. I had notes written for all plus those of Coppard's but a computer glitch ensured I lost the lot. Bugger. And that was that. It's funny what you remember though - this Gruner stood out from the three Matt showed me.

O'Leary Walker Gruner Veltliner 2015

This 2015 is the first Gruner release and a 'project wine' from O'Leary Walker although I believe the 2016 is the first to hit retail land. I found this sample lying at the back of a pile - oops.

Hahndorf Hill GRU Gruner Veltliner 2014

Larry Jacobs calls this GRU. I reckon it's more like James Bond, a man for all seasons. This is a wine that is sooo tasty and versatile. It's fresh with some texture, personality and it's dangerously smashable. With food or without, you see the bottom of the glass in no time.

This is the fifth vintage of the variety Larry has produced. Due to high yields, three separate harvests took place and each batch was handled differently. That is, different yeasts were used and a combination of cold, warm and wild fermentation took place.

A blend of the three batches, this wine exudes fresh fruits. Think of your fruit bowl and take a whiff. Green apples, pears and stone fruits. Down the hatch and it's more happiness with a little spicy edge and filling flavours. It's just damn tasty booze and you just want more. Isn't that what you look for in a top wine?

Get some in your glass. Very good.

Region: Adelaide Hills
RRP: $28
Source: Sample

www.hahndorfhillwinery.com.au

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Alternative Variety night @SwirlSniffSpit Tuesday 20 March

Another extraordinary night of wines put together for this edition of Swirl Sniff Spit. Props to The Vinsomniac for his research and excellent presentations during the night, and also to Brad Hickey from Brash Higgins for making the effort to attend and share his wines.

The evening showcased a delectable range of wines, many varieties of which have not been seen by most in the room - me included!

In an industry where everyone is looking for a point of difference and a way to stand out from the pack, there were plenty of examples on show.

A quick run through some of the magic....

Fox Gordon Princess Fiano 2011, Adelaide Hills: Green pea/snap pea on nose. Grassy. Zesty. Love it, and represents super value for around $15. Check out my 2010 post here.

Yalumba Y Series Vermentino 2011, Riverland: For a wine available readily for around $10, you'll be hard pressed to find quality like this at that price point. Serve super chilled with a bucket of seafood - ooh la la! Check out my previous post here.

Holm Oak Wine Arneis 2011, Tasmania: Savory and peachy characters. Plenty of fans in the room enjoyed this but I found it a little too tart and acidic for my palate. Would go well with food, a creamy pasta or even fresh seafood.

Lark Hill Winery Gruner Veltliner 2011, Canberra: This vintage has already sold out and the winemaker was kind enough to share this from his personal stash. A runaway early leader in the Wine of the Night for mine. Pear and fresh apple juice characters. This wine was fresh and finished with a tad of almond meal. A seriously good version of this Austrian variety.

K1 by Hardy's Gruner Veltliner 2011, Adelaide Hills: Pears and pear skin. Restrained mid palate due to light fruit weight. A watery, clean finish. Many happy campers with this.

Crittenden Wines II Tributo Savignin 2010: A sherberty nose. Flavours of savory herbs, spice and a crisp minerality and drying finish on the palate. Yum!

919 Wines Petit Manseng 2010, Riverland: Wow! This was a complex piece of work. Honey, spice, floral notes with a slash of apricot and stone fruit flavours. Lovely soft texture and super length.
Only small quantities of Petit Manseng in Australia, four coming from South Australia's Riverland, and one each from north east Victoria and Griffith.

Brash Higgins NDV Nero d'Avola 2011, McLaren Vale: On skins for two weeks. Wild fermented and only 114 cases made (less than 30 available as I write this). Lavender on nose - stunning!! Orange peel and raspberry jam flavours. Drinks like young Gamay. Serve with slight chill and drink now to five years. $37. Did I say how outrageously fantastic the nose was?!?!

Madeline's Nangkita Primitivo 2008, McLaren Vale: Has an appearance of stewed plums in the glass. Cigar, fruit cake and spice characters all going on here. Gentle soft finish.

Mount Majura Graciano 2009, Canberra: Bright in the glass. Spice and cigar notes shining through. A fistful of pepper and balanced acid profile. Load this up with some food and you're happy.

Chalmers Wines Aglianico 2005, Heathcote: Cherries, raspberries and earthy goodness. Some fruit cake elements in there too which I enjoyed. Smooth finish. An eye opener for a variety I looked at for the first time.

Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Teroldego 2010, Langhorne Creek: Rhubarb and raspberries leap from the glass along with wild flowers. Some serious kick here on the palate with a handful of dry herbs and flavours which follow through from the nose. The palate is also edged with a brush of pepper. Finish with a dry tannin grip. Matured in 4-7 oak for 18 months - I loved it! Wine of the night, hands down!

Oliver's Taranga Sagrantino 2009, McLaren Vale: A great way to finish off the night with this heavy weight. This wine is the first vintage of Sangrantino made by the winery and it is a mighty fine effort. Violets, black fruits with a tiny herby touch, charred oak and a bucket load of tannin. A big chunk of pork will match perfectly.

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