While recently purchasing some ready-to-drink whites locally, I espied a cache of a wine that in previous vintages we'd liked for a very attractive price. Tonight, with the blazing hot weather continuing, we opened a bottle with dinner:
2006 Weingut Allram Grüner Veltliner Strassertaler ($7.99) nose: green herbal, white pepper, a hint of sulfur palate: medium body, good acidity, herbaceous, fruity
We've had a number of bottles of the '04 version of this, but this '06 is IMO a definite step up in terms of varietal character. Listed as 13% ABV, this has got a bit more heft than the average Federspiel from the Wachau, but is otherwise constructed along similar lines. We'll be going back for a lot more of this as a summertime house white.
Mark Lipton