Fast facts:
- 2019 Floriana Grüner Veltliner, Pannon, Hungary ($4.99 @Trader Joe’s, California)
- Trader Joe’s SPF 30 Zinc Oxide Sunscreen ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California)
We’re on the cusp of Memorial Day weekend, which means we are already being subjected to some of the strongest rays of sun all year. At least here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Not only does the advent of summer mean we need to keep the sunscreen handy, we also crave lighter, more refreshing wines. In my house, that means more white wines, at least while chilling on the patio, porch and poolside.
This is a great time of year to start exploring more exotic whites, especially ones that are on the dry side, with some refreshing acidity and that have an alcohol level that doesn’t punish you for having an extra glass. This wine checks all of those boxes. And the fact that it’s $4.99 doesn’t hurt.
The fact that the Trader Joe’s sunblock will cost you twice as much (for a paltry 6 ounces!) may sting a bit, but not as much as it would sting if you lounge about in the sun without it!
Tasting Notes:
Pours a pale straw color. On the nose, there are prominent apple and citrus aromas. On the palate, it is dry, with apple and citrus again, but also and green pepper and herbal notes. Modest, simple finish that encourages the next sip. The wine is light and refreshing. Paired nicely with a chicken schnitzel salad finished with a drizzle of fresh lemon.
About Grüner Veltliner:
“Gru-V” is most commonly associated with the country of Austria, where it represents roughly one-third of the country’s vineyard area. It is also grown in the Czech Republic, and as evidence by our featured bottling, to the west in Hungary, which actually produces more wine than Austria. Like Albariño, it pairs exceptionally well with chicken, seafood and shellfish.
This crisp white clocks in at just 12% ABV, BTW. Good for afternoon sipping on summer weekends. Hopefully your TJs has some on hand.
And if your weekend does find you shopping at your local TJ’s, also keep an eye out for our Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine. It’s a shopping list comprised of our most recent reviews.
Or if you’re headed to Costco, you can find our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list of Costco wine finds.
Cheers!
We pay 5.99 for this at TJ’s in NC, but still a good value. Unfortunately, our TJ’s has this hidden in the sweet wine section even though it is dry as a bone.