Tuesday was a hectic day, I was crushed at work, Betsy was working
hard painting David's old room. Neither of us felt like we could cook,
so she ordered from Comfort, a little mostly-takeout organic foods
restaurant we had been meaning to try. She got a monkfish dish and
pork chops, sides were kale, mesclun and pear salad, sweet and roast
potatoes. What to pair with pork and fish? Why, Gruner Veltliner! I
grabbed the 2001 Brundlmayer "Alte Reben" Gruner Veltliner (Kamptal).
Big whiff of white pepper on the nose, the palate doesn't really show
the pepper- just big ripe clean pear fruit. There's a stony/flinty
minerality that doesn't come out till the finish, but once you notice
it grabs your attention. The fruit is so sweet I ponder whether there
might be residual sugar, but decide no- it finishes quite dry. Good
acidity, but a broad-beamed white. Really an excellent GV, drinking
perfectly at moment. Wednesday I had a board meeting and just had
takeout with homeless attendees beforehand, but that evening had
another glass of the Brundlmayer when I got home. Held up well
overnight, the pepper on nose has faded, more of a wildflower now, but
the palate is still clean balanced pear fruit. A-/B+

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency