IDTT Podcast #285: Gerhard Kracher
2012 Sohm & Kracher Grüner Veltliner
The recent I'll Drink To That! interview with Gerhard Kracher is full of fascinating information.
He's the son of Alois Kracher, one of the most important Austrian winemakers of our time. He was tremendously successful in introducing Austrian wines to the world. Alois played a key role in making the introductions that brought Austria's finest to the U.S.
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IDTT: 285 - Gerhard Kracher |
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The interview reminds us how far the wine business has come. Gerhard's father had to spend years working a day job in the pharmaceutical industry because the winery couldn't support him and his father (Gerhand's grandfather.) By the release of the 1991 vintage, their noble sweet wines had garnered a space on the world stage.
Now fast forward a number of years, Gerhard Kracher and Aldo Sohm, winner of "Best Sommelier in the World" in 2008 as well as the Chef Sommelier at Le Bernardin and his Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, have a very long meal at a Queens Thai restaurant. It's there that they lay out a plan to start producing a Grüner Veltliner.
We're happy to offer Sohm & Kracher's 2012 Grüner Veltliner at special pricing for I'll Drink to That! listeners.
To receive the special pricing, please use the IDTTFORME promotion code. You can purchase online, over the phone or by replying to this email.
You may think that they would seek out a vineyard in the Wachau or another of Austria's top regions. Instead, they chose the Weinviertel - a large, relatively unknown area that mostly produces bulk wine (it translates to "wine quarter.") Both of them felt that the Weinviertel possessed some great sites waiting to be discovered. In the end, they focused on an impressive chalky, limestone site.
What resulted is a fascinating, stand alone expression of Grüner. There's a sleek mineral core, a freshness and cut that is truly uncommon. The combination of deeply etched detail, verve and saturating presence is really beautiful.
I strongly encourage you to check out the interview. Along with a bevy of knowledge about Austrian wine history, there's information on vintages of Kracher that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits