“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake,” The Holy Bible: Colossians – Hebrews, The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, 1: 3, 24.
Many years ago, a great wine-sharing friend Dr. Harry Easom told me about a revealing dinner that he enjoyed at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. After he had ordered an assortment of goodies, Harry asked the omniscient wine steward about a wine suggestion. “How about a grand Gruner Veltlinger?” was the proffered advice. I remembered the grape for reference today.
Flourishing in granite, slate or loamy sand along with the moderately cool climate that surrounds the Danube River in Austria, many locals regard the grape as a national treasure with its sister Riesling. The Austrians savor it with their ever-popular dish, Wiener schnitzel, and many claim that its good structure and acidity is a natural bedmate for fried chicken. Sneeringly, the Alsations claim that Choucroute is more appropriate.
Today’s test was a Milwaukee variation of the debate. Is this versatile grape with its brisk acidity daring enough to dance with bratwurst? Heresy, some might say! So, we bypassed the outstanding wine department at Sendik’s (along with Consumer Outlet in Hales Corners, Downer Wines and Waterford Wines), one of the best shops in town, and made a bee-line to the meat department, where we snagged a few homemade brats for a spring slug-off. Here are my tasting notes, using my typical “A”-“F” scoring scale. For fun, I tossed in a Hogue Gewurztraminer for the final brat matching:
1. 2006 Jurtschsonhof, $18.99, available at various fine wine shops: With its tongue-twister name and funky artistic label, this entry had a pale, almost straw-like color with light body and some initial notes of toasty yeast and some SO2. A light to medium middle with light fruit led to a medium dry finish. B
2. 2007 Singing Gruner Veltlinger, Laurenz, $16 at Vino 100 in Grafton: Pale yellow color with light to medium body and a toasty nose, with a light to medium body and a lightly complex nose with spicy notes and whispers of flowers. Bone-dry finish that almost reminds one of an exotic Gewurztraminer. B
3. 2006 Wolfgang Gru-Vee, $10.99, Downer Wine & Spirits: Light vanilla hue with medium body and a lightly complex, flowery nose. Medium-rich middle dances with fruit into a medium/spicy and dry finish. Grapy and Groovy! B+
4. Berger Gruner Veltinger, $13.99, Downer Wine & Spirits: Old-fashioned bottle cap (no cork). Light color with delicate flowery nose redolent with hints of spiciness. Light to medium middle that plays on the tongue. Clean, dry finish. A
5. 2008 Prager Hinter Der Berg Gruner Veltinger, $29.99, Waterford Wines: Pale yellow hue with light body and a lightly spicy nose. Almost looks and smells like a Chardonnay. Medium fruit evolves into a dry, clean finish. B+
6. Schloss Gobelsburg Steinsetz, $28.99, Waterford Wines: Toasty straw color with medium body and nice complexity following notes of almonds and nutmeg. Bright, flowery middle with medium depth moves into a nicely clean and long finish. Nice for a rocking chair on a porch in summer! A+
Today’s winner was the Scloss Gobelsburg. Today’s Price/Value champ was the Wolfgang Gru-Vee.
Now, on to the brat/Gruner tasting:
The No. 1 finisher, the Schloss Gobelsburg, was a perfect chemical match, with just the right amount of acid and spice to play with the sausage. Just to challenge things, I trotted out a Hogue Gewurztraminer, which positively buried the brat. Lesson learned! One wag of a friend suggested with a sardonic tone that it won’t be long before the aisle vendors at County Stadium are yelling, “Gruner here!”
A final thought: Even though I’ve tried thousands of wines and sundry pairings with food, I’m continually humbled and enlightened about what I’m discovering in this brief life of gastronomy and oenological experience. What fun!
