Lenz Moser Selection 2009

Lenz Moser Grüner Veltliner; came in box

VC got this as a gift for being the judge of an English speaking competition in St. Pölten in March.

The flavor is a bit sweeter than the average Veltliner, which  could be accounted for with the "Selection" label. The bouquet is fruity, lots of citrus (lemon, and maybe even grapefruit). The palate is very like a Riesling, and went well with my veggie stir fry.

The 2010  Grüner Veltliner just won the International Wine Challenge 2011. That should tell you something! Prices for this particular wine I cannot share, because it was a gift. But, according to the website, you can get the wine for €6.30 per bottle, with the opportunity to join the Lenz Moser club, and buy wine. They also have the possibility to ship their wares to you throughout the world! Snazzy.

Thanks* A Bunch

After I tried the white wine from the Austrian Winvino collection, I immediately thought to try the red as well, being obsessed as I am and all...

Danke is a light, fruity, Zweigelt from Burgenland. Sour cherry notes can be detected, as well as a hint of spice...cinnamon? Since the 2010 is still a new wine, it is much crisper than an aged Zweigelt, which would tend more toward the Cabernet Sauvignon end of the body spectrum.

For a mere €2.89 at my local Penny Markt, I was able to procure this flavorful Austrian wine. Because of the similarity in taste and quality to a Pinot Noir grape, and because the French variety is so much better known worldwide, it is often difficult to find a Zweigelt outside of Central and Eastern Europe,where the grape is mainly grown. However, seeing as I am in Central Europe, what better way to celebrate than with a Zweigelt?

Prost!


*For the non-German speakers in the audience, danke is "thank you"in German. Think the song "Danke Schön" made famous by Wayne Newton and sung by Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Darling, Danke Schön!

Polgár Kadarka Siller 2009

The second wine from Hungary, Polgár Kadarka Siller (2009) is a rosé made from the Kadarka grape.


As far as rosés go, this wine is dry, slightly tart, with a bouquet of raspberries. Great on its own, or with food. I made vegetarian tacos from a mix to have with my Polgár Kadarka Siller (not the most elegant choice, but whatever). I would recommend something better...their website has some suggestions.


Definitely an improvement on the Kékfrancos also bought on this trip. At 1650 Forint (~ €7) per bottle, it is a bit pricier, but worth the extra €3 or so for the superior taste.

For those of you who only drink white wine (SHAME ON YOU!), I would definitely recommend getting to know a rosé or two - on a trial basis, if need be. You'll get all the comforts of a white wine (chilled, slightly sweeter depending on the variety) but made from a red grape. The process is complicated, but basically they take the skins off halfway through the fermentation process. Once you've gotten used to the taste of rosé,  trust me, you'll be ready for red.

More Wine Splurges in Venice: Caffe Florian

Much like our other post from a few days ago, this one is about our indulgences in Venice.

me with (unseeable) bell town in background

While in Venice, we partook in the Venetian cafe culture at the Caffe Florian on Piazza San Marco. Although a bit more than what we should have paid for a glass of wine (8 euro) and sandwich (12 euro), the cafe is one of the oldest coffee houses in the city (serving overpriced sandwiches since 1720) and was a great cultural experience, albeit one I only need to do once in a lifetime. We chose Caffe Florain for 1) name recognition (thanks, Rick Steves) and 2) for its live music. All of the cafes on St. Mark's Square have live bands in the evening, but Caffe Florian's band had a little something special. Perhaps it was the woman violinist? The accordion player?

Callie enjoying the music

Knowing that Venice caters to tourists almost as a natural process of the city's functions (it's hard to imagine Venice without tourists, actually), felt too-good-to-be-true at times: like Disney World. Like there was no real life in the city, and no real inhabitants. Just pretty buildings and canals. Like we were visiting a museum for an extended weekend. And like we really mattered to the wait staff, hotel staff, etc., etc. as long as we could pay up in the end. Venice, decidedly so, is not for the faint of pocketbook. Thus, splurge ;)

Also, photos of us enjoying Bellinis (finally uploaded!!)