If such combinations are a bit of a rarity in the U.S., spend some time in Austria and you’re likely to come across a veritable library of kooky blends.
Even ignoring the Viennese and their proclivity for field blends (aka "Gemischter Satz"), take a seat at just about any cafe in Austria and chances are you’ll eventually be handed a crazy-sounding concoction - a wine consisting of Traminer blended with Grau Burgunder (Pinot Grigio) blended with Riesling blended with Sauvignon Blanc, or something like that.
 |
The sommelier will hand it to you with a maniacal smile, confident that said blend is an epic discovery, the next great white wine to conquer the world's taste buds.
Yet, in our experience, the results most often taste as bizarre as they sound – viniculture meeting the cocktail world gone awry.
Today, however, we present something on the conservative side of such anarchy - it also happens to come from one of Austria's greatest winemaker's, Roland Velich of Moric.
The short story goes like this: We tasted it. We loved it. We asked how much it was. We were told how much it was. Our jaws dropped (nothing Roland Velich does is usually that cheap) and we bought it all.
At $19.95 this wine is the perfect house pour for just about any house - seriously, it's delicious.
The 2009 Hausmarke has body and richness and complexity, the Chardonnay giving the wine rich dark fruits, the Grüner edging the wine with herbal details.
Yet, it's easy to throw grapes together and then pick out their attributes - what makes this wine special is the fact that it has harmony; it's seamless and integrated, a perfect dance across the palate with a crunchy floral snap, not unlike (good!) Pinot Grigios or Petit Chablis. (Indeed, Velich is a huge Chablis fan, so the fact the wine has purity and transparency shouldn't surprise.)
 |
Roland Velich truly is one of the greatest, most thoughtful winemakers in Austria and if he's become sort of a cult figure in the last few years for his Blaufrankisch, it's worth remembering that Roland and his brother made their name with white wines.
He hasn't forgotten how to do it.
Is this Montrachet from Austria's Burgenland? No. But it's not trying to be, either - this is a joyous white wine of a totally different genre and at $19.95 a bottle, there isn't any good reason not to try one.
With spring on the horizon, there also isn't any real good reason not to try six or more. This is the ultimate Austrian house pour. Who knows, maybe it's the next great white wine to conquer the world's taste buds.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Stephen Bitterolf
Wine Director
Crush Wine & Spirits