During the winter, it is assumed that wine lovers drink more red wine than white or rosé. There is that image of a crackling fire, sitting around the hearth, nestled under Granny’s afghan, reading Tolstoy (or Erica Jong) while snowstorms rage outside. But in North Texas, it ain’t necessarily so. Just the other day, we opted for dining outside, al fresco, in January.
The winter months are a time to reflect, re-evaluate and re-tool. And in that light, I want to tell you about this wonderful white wine from Austria, Biokult Grüner Veltliner. Made with organically grown grapes (and Demeter biodynamic certified) and weighing in at a mere 11% alcohol, this is a great pick for lighter, sunnier winter days.
Why so? First off, it’s crisp, light and delicious. It’s also dry enough to enjoy as an aperitif or with food. It’s a natural wine, all the rage these days. And it’s not only organic, but goes the distance and takes it up a notch into the more rarefied territory of biodynamic, which is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for many winemakers and wine lovers. To top it off, it’s a dry-farmed wine (less water = smaller carbon footprint), as well as non-GMO-verified and 100% vegan friendly. The (organic) cherry on top is that the wine sells for under $15.
This is an ideal wine on so many levels, but when we paired it with a classic Caesar salad and a couple of TJ’s Seafood Market crab cakes, it miraculously turned winter into spring.
Find Biokult Grüner Veltliner at Central Market and Whole Foods Market.