Ewald Gruber ‘Roschitz’ Grüner Veltliner 2010
Weinviertel DAC, Neiderösterreich, Austria $17.10 12.5% alcohol
Clean crisp and refreshing throughout, there’s a mélange of flavours—peach, citrus and plum—riding a riveting spine of good acidity interlaced with peppery spice. It’s mid weight with good mouth feel and bolstered by a tangy, racy aftertaste of lemon-lime. Pour alongside prawn or scallop ceviche or pan-seared fish under a squirt of fresh lemon. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Ewald Gruber ‘Selektion Hundspoint’ Grüner Veltliner 2010
Weinviertel, Neiderösterreich, Austria $21.50 13.0% alcohol
There’s a broad flavour profile coupled with excellent acidity and a lengthy, lip-smacking finish that sets this well above ordinary. Crisp apple, ripe pear, yellow plum and white grapefruit pith race over the palate infusing the long finish. It’s medium bodied and nicely textured pouring well with skillet-seared calamari rings of mussels steamed in white wine sauce. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Ewald Gruber ‘Terrasse Reipersberg’ Grüner Veltliner 2010
Weinviertel DAC, Neiderösterreich, Austria $20.60 12.5% alcohol
Hints of pepper and spice, lemongrass and green apple meander through the quiet nose. A refreshing wash of Green Gage plum, ripe pear and racy lemon intermingles with nuances of pineapple on the palate and mid-length finish. It’s clean and crisp, mid weight with a smooth texture. Pair with oyster Kilpatrick or steamed clams. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Hannes Sabathi Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Gamlitz, Südsteiermark, Austria $24.50 12.5% alcohol
Harvested from a low-yielding cool vintage, this delivers classic cool-climate SB aromas and flavours. Grass, nettles and herbaceous aromas provide segue to a clean, crisp, laser-like river of bracing lemon, racy gooseberry with loads of spice on the palate and refreshing aftertaste. This pours well on its own as a mouth-watering aperitif or alongside appetizers or mains of pan-seared freshwater fish. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Kettle Valley Winery Merlot 2007
Okanagan Valley $31.70 13.5% alcohol
Kettle Valley is a family-owned, very successful winery on the prestigious Naramata Bench where a portion of this was sourced. Plum, spice and tapenade aromas on the nose, there’s a gusher of rich and succulent palate-coating flavour with black currant, maraschino cherry and spice-infused dark plum prominent. It’s medium-full bodied and smooth as silk sporting a lingering finish with a ripe tannin underpinning. It’s good to go now and flirted with 4½ stars. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Julian Reynolds ‘Art and Tradition – Reserva’ 2005
Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal $27.05 13.5% alcohol
The lifted nose of this red blend—Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês and Trincadeira—delivers exotic spice and incense mingling with dark bramble berry presaging a delightful wash of tangy red cherry, red currant and black licorice. There’s good weight and mouth feel along with deft balance and a brief aftertaste. Ratchets up a couple of notches poured with hearty food like osso bucco or rabbit stew. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Weinberghof Fritsch ‘Steinberg’ Grüner Veltliner 2010
Wagram, Austria $20.50 12.5% alcohol
This flagship wine, from the single-vineyard ‘Steinberg’ plot, recently converted to biodynamic viticulture and viniculture practices. Mineral/slate and green apple on the nose, it washes the palate with a tangy, racy river of ripe pear and Granny Smith apple interwoven with lemongrass, peppery notes and racy citrus. There’s depth of flavour, excellent acidity and a touch of elegance. It punches well above the price with the quality-price balance tipped wildly in your favour. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)
Weinberghof Fritsch ‘Wagram’ Grüner Veltliner 2010
Wagram, Austria $17.30 12.0% alcohol
Mineral and floral aromas mingle with hints of pepper and spice in this mid-weight generously textured Grüner. The palate’s treated to rich and succulent flavours with white peach and racy citrus to the fore. The aftertaste replays the flavour from the palate and finishes in a blaze of lip-smacking tang. With good complexity and loads of nerve and verve, this stands up well to freshly shucked briny oysters under a squeeze of fresh lemon adorned by a drop or two of Tabasco©. Order by the case delivered to your home or office from Nokhrin Wines. (Vic Harradine)