I love Gruner. To me, it just screams summer. Especially the big, green, Austrian 1-liter bottles from Etz or Allram. Because, you know, on a hot summer day, sometimes 750ml just isn't enough!
But recently, Nick from The Willows Market was kind enough to hand me a bottle of Zocker Paragon Vineyard Gruner Veltliner Edna Valley 2011. No chunky oversized Austrian liter, no, this is an elegant, restrained, American, non-super-sized 750ml bottle. I had never had a domestic Gruner. This was delicious, refined, crisp, refreshing but sophisticated -- perfect on a hot summer night with a lobster salad. I think the first time I had Gruner, it was at a Vietnamese restaurant, and I think this wine would balance really nicely with the slightly spicy, complex cuisine.
For the record, we were given a bottle to taste for this blog. We have not received any other compensation for this posting.
