TN: Steininger Gruener Veltliner Kabinett 2005 Kamptal

Gruess Gott!

Steininger is a well-known Sekt producer in Austrias Kamptal. They make high quality sparkling wine from just about any grape they have at their disposal, and also have a reputation for making solid GV's and Zweigelt. I was expecting just that; a solid wine. This one however, is a QPR Super heavyweight. Unlike most GV in the low teens, it has waves of pure, elegant lemon and fruit cocktail (but BONE dry) flakes of salty mineral and spice of bell pepper and crackly white pepper. We are starting to get spoiled by Vin Divino and Terry with all of the excellent Weine aus Oesterreich. Still, MOST of the inexpensive stuff (although not yet as big an offender as cheap German wine) is either easy drinking and characterless or just plain Scheisse -not the case with Steininger. 12.5% -$12.99


Ade!
Bill

At tonite`s Blind Team Challenge, the third white turned out to be the `03 GV from Hirtzberger. None of my team guessed even close!!

Note that Steininger is a wine producer first, his Sekt production being not older than 15 years, 1991 having been his first vintage.

Thus said, I do love both his sekts and his still wines.

Unlike most GV in the low teens, it has waves of pure, elegant lemon and fruit cocktail (but BONE dry) flakes of salty mineral and spice of bell pepper and crackly white pepper. [...] Still, MOST of the inexpensive stuff (although not yet as big an offender as cheap German wine) is either easy drinking and characterless or just plain Scheisse

Amen, Bill - Amen!!

I agree with you totally. And I am perennially enthralled by whites that fit your description. I love, love, love, bone-dry, substantial whites. Unfortunately, we do get a fair amount of thin and inoffensive (or aggressively mediocre) GV in Ontario. The Steininger, however, sounds divine - a true zenith of a GV.

Thanks for the inspiring note.