D'Alfonso-Curran Gruner Veltliner 2018
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Wilfred
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 D'Alfonso-Curran Grüner Veltliner is distinctive and bright. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, yet sophisticated. Its aromas and flavors of dried earth, lemon peel, and chalk should pair it well with lightly-grilled octopus. (Tasted: August 30, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
There are fascinating aromas of cantaloupe balls, Meyer lemon peel and crushed chalk on the nose of this bottling. It’s crisp and flavorful on the palate, loaded with orange sorbet and white flowers, yet sliced through with high acidity and a chalky mouthfeel.
Fun to say and delightfully easy to drink, Grüner Veltliner calls Austria its homeland. While some easily quaffable Grüners come in a one-liter—a convenient size—many high caliber single vineyard bottlings can benefit from cellar aging. Somm Secret—About 75% of the world’s Grüner Veltliner comes from Austria but the variety is gaining ground in other countries, namely Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States.
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.