Darcie Kent Vineyards Grüner Veltliner Black Jack Vineyard

While my body is struggling to adjust to the recent cold temps, I find I’m not quite ready to pack up the white wines for the season. Maybe I’m just trying to hold on to some remembrance of summer and warmth. But as October comes to a close, I realize, I never made it to the big Oktoberfest in Helen. So my husband, the cook in the family, whipped up a platter of Wiener Schnitzel and potato pancakes. While choosing the perfect wine for the occasion, I found one I received as a sample quite some time ago, 2009 Darcie Kent Vineyards Grüner Veltliner Black Jack Vineyard.

Aromas are a little closed at first; but maybe my nostrils are just frozen. After some swirling, I pick up a faint hint of honeysuckle. Delicate peach, floral and lime flavors wash over the palate. The wine is slightly dry; with a well balanced acidic finish. Easy drinking and delightful.

Appellation – Montery, CA

Varietal – 100% Grüner Veltliner
TA - .64
pH – 3.32
RS - .75g/100ml
Alcohol – 13%
SRP - $18

For too many years, German wines lived under a stigma, one of a cheap and overly sweet variety. Luckily many German wine drinkers now seek out complex and flavorful wines and winemakers are responding. Now German wine drinkers can find a wide selection of wines that can be consumed young or those that can be aged for years.  Grüner Veltliner is currently Austria’s favorite white33+3 wine. The citrus and acidic flavors lend themselves to a variety of food pairings. The varietal can also be found in array of styles from light-bodied and easy drinking to full-bodied and complex, as well as sparkling. This means there’s also a price range for everyone.

While Grüner Veltliner may be Austria’s most popular white wine, Darcie Kent Vineyards Grüner Veltliner Black Jack Vineyard is made right here in the good old U.S. of A.; Montery, California to be exact. Established in 1996 in Livermore's Crane Ridge foothills, Darcie and her husband David focus on single vineyard wines. Grapes are sourced from one of the Kent’s vineyards or from local family vineyards. Darcie, an artist, designs the labels for each of the vintages.   

My husband keeps telling me I’ll get used to the cold. I’m not so sure it’s going to be that easy. After spending the first well, just say the first half of my life in a sub-tropical climate where it’s not unheard of to take a dip in the family pool on Christmas Day, I think I’m in for a long bone chilling winter. Feel free to share any tips on making through the winter in a cold climate, I’m pretty sure I can use them. Until then, maybe I’ll break out the Port.

If you would like to send samples for my review, please contact me at kstargaard@yahoo.com.

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