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!!)

Lelovits Kékfrankos 2007

the Kekfrancos grape on the vine

Similar to a Pinot Noir, the Kékfrankos grape is red and juicy and grown in Hungary and eastern Austria (known in German as Zweigelt).


Unfortuantely, our latest attempt at getting a Kékfrancos...that is, replicating the absolute heaven that was a bottle of Kékfrancos bought in 2007 in Budapest, was a no-go. V.C.'s latest trip to Hungary (resulting in 2 bottles of wine) was less successful than originally hoped, mostly due to her inability to remember exactly what kind of wine she got last time - just that it was a Kékfrancos. And communication in A) Hungarian and B) English with Hungarians can be, to put it diplomatically...difficult.

Result? The realization that not all Kékfrancos are created equal. A mediocre yet incredibly cheap (< 1000 Forint, i.e. ~ 4 Euro) bottle of Kékfrancos from a charming wine shop midway between our hostel and the downtown (Pest) ended up coming home with me, to be drunk about a week ago in my apartment in Amstetten.

Says C.B.: "Not as divine as what we had 3 years ago." With yucky-face sort of like this: >:P

Breaking the Budget: Vino in Venezia

Having recently reunited for a European adventure (take two), V.C. and I have returned (in her case) and arrived (in mine) in Austria from Italy, where we visited Venice and the Italian Riviera. Beautiful! Relaxing! Delightful! We love Italy even more than the first time we did when we were there three years ago. Three years can change a lot of things...

Today I bring you a vinous update from the watery canals of Venice, that most elegant city, where the drink of choice is a Bellini, followed closely by prosecco.

Having decided that if we were going to drink Bellinis, they should be good Bellinis, we decided to forgo the frugal path of wisdom in favor of splurging on 8 Euro Bellinis at the Hotel Metropole, an elegant and otherwise unaffordable establishment on Venice's lagoon. Served in the characteristic Bellini glass and made with freshly crushed peaches, we were not disappointed in the drinks or in the frankly decadent grandeur of our setting, the Metropole's "Oriental Bar," where we were further entertained by a Russian businessman and an elderly British couple being condescending toward each other as they debated the various merits of buying an ocean liner so they could, we kid not, sail to Capetown and Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro and Monte Carlo.

We in no way condone splurging unnecessarily on drinks. If at all possible, doing so should be avoided. However, with the right time and place, it is certainly fun to drink a Bellini at the Hotel Metropole.

A more affordable option might be to make your own. It's quite simple. Simply purchase a bottle of prosecco, champagne or similar sparkling wine and a fresh peach or two (depending on the number of guests and/or bellinis required). Mash up the peaches to a fine pulp and pour into the bottom of the glass (champagne flutes seem to be preferred but those who are offended by a simple wine glass shouldn't do this anyway). Pour champagne/prosecco on top. Serve. It's that simple!*

Alternatively, for those whom peach-mashing is too much trouble, it is possible to buy pre-made "Bellini," sold to our knowledge throughout much of Italy as well as in World Market in the U.S. It is an acceptable alternative, provided you are willing to subject your body to so many preservatives.

*You may also add a splash of peach schnapps but it is not really necessary.

Where Have All the White Wines gone?

It's spring time, which means it't time to whip out delicious white wine, summer drinks and the like.

Recently, I had the chance to sample a fruity, new wine to go with all of the lovely springtime weather we've been having in Amstetten.

Called "Welcome," it is from the Winvino line of affordable Austrian wines: Danke (thank you) a Zweigelt, Welcome, the only Veltliner – and, thus, white wine of the bunch -  Zweisam (twosome) a Blaufränkisch/Zweigelt mix, Sternstund (magic moment) which is their cuvee wine…

For €3.59 at the local Penny Markt, Welcome is a delicious, yet inexpensive,  wine choice for the picky, broke consumer.  Sharing the wine aisle with 2-liter plastic bottles of Tafelwein (table wine), this Qualitätswein is sort of a big fish in a small pond…and one of the more expensive wines at the Aldi-esque Austrian market. Aside from the price, this white wine is a crisp, refreshing, with notes of lemon and green apple and went very well with my home-made hummus! 

The best thing about new wines in a typically dry wine is that they are somewhat sweeter (not being given the time to fully ferment) which makes them perfect entertaining wines. But unlike Riesling, Grüner Veltliner is not typically sickeningly sweet, and can thus be enjoyed with lots of things and by lots of people. Grüner Veltliner, unfortunately for those Stateside, is not commonly found outside of Austria - you'll have to do a bit of digging. It has been compared to Moscato (Muskatell)...but I shall not make that claim, as I think Moscato is sweeter.