2018 Weingut E & M Berger, Gruner Veltliner, Niederösterreich, Austria -winery label

2018 Weingut E & M Berger, Gruner Veltliner, Niederösterreich, Austria.
Erich Berger’s 2018 wines are next level stuff with many outstanding highlights to choice from and I was thrilled with his exceptional 2018 Ried Spiegel Kremstal DAC Riesling as well as this basic one liter Gruner bottling, its a wine that should never be overlooked and this vintage is an absolute gem, which I think is his best version to date. This wonderfully quaffable dry 2018 GruVee is immaculately made, gloriously pure and highly entertaining with crisp detailing and expressive fruit, it punches way above its price point. Under Erich, E & M Berger, as Terry Thiese, his importer, notes, the winery has implemented methods, such as organic farming, to produce wines that are focused on terroir and varietal character, and while always highlighted as a value producer, the game has changed here and the wines are certainly the winners as well as those that pop the tops of these latest wines. Berger’s white grapes come from steep terraced sites in the eastern section of the Kremstal region, not far from the blue Danube River to the west of Vienna on classic loess soils.

In the cellar, Erich Berger does everything to preserve and focus of vitality and freshness, he uses only ultra clean practices with his Gruner, Riesling and Muskateller only seeing selected cultured yeasts and temperature controlled stainless steel fermentations and aging, nothing fancy, but highly effective for transparency and clarity of form. It was great to see Erich, one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and completely humble, and taste his latest releases, and as mentioned they all impress for their no pretense quality, in particular this one. The 2018, Take Me To Your Liter, pop top Gruner has a classic array of fruity flavors and steely mineral with a light to medium body showing lemon/lime, white peach, a whiff of jasmine, wet stone, white pepper, a touch of tropical essences, almond oil and bitter herbs. Easy and poundable, the basic Berger Gruner is an awesome party, picnic, think 4th of July, BBQ and or a fine weeknight table wine tat goes great with grilled veggies, artichokes, and oysters. Buying this stuff by the case is a killer deal and a no brainer for the warm Summer days ahead, even in the bigger (liter) bottle, you’ll be surprised how fast they go!
($16 Est. 1L) 91 Points, grapelive

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