Domäne Wachau Smaragd “Terrassen” Gruner Veltliner 2006

If a dry mammy Riesling and a daddy Chablis got together and had a baby in Austria, this would be their lovechild, the Domäne Wachau Smaragd “Terrassen” Grüner Veltliner 2006.

Excellent dry fruity lemon zest and pear drops with a lot of mineral knocking about (lick a clean wet pebble to see what I mean. Seriously, it works). High acidity, dry and long lasting all in perfect harmony.

On a lightly slightly more serious note, this was a gorgeous wine (gut geschmeckt) and worth seeking out.

I think it’s great to see non standard “unusual” wines on the shelves here. Perhaps that’s the great thing about not growing our own wine in Ireland – we’re not bound by any wine tradition and as such we’re a completely open market. Try picking up a Grüner Veltliner in a wine shop or a restaurant in Paris and I assume that it’s extremely difficult – I say this with absolutely no authority, so please correct me.

Picked it up in Drinkstore, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 for €14.95