When I discovered that Evesham Wood had grown and produced a grüner veltliner from Oregon, I could not wait to give it a try. After pairing a bottle with dinner the other night, it's clear the Evesham Wood 2008 Grüner Veltliner Willamette Valley lives up to its billing:

For fans of racy acidity and intense varietal character, these wines are sure to please. This includes our first ever bottling of grüner veltliner (or “gru-vee” as it’s come to be known by afficianados). Considering the young age of our planting, our version already seems to have the unmistakable flinty mineral quality of its Austrian cousin.

The Evesham Wood "gru-vee" was a light, straw color in the glass, delivering mineral and wet stone notes that repeated themselves in the dry, crisp flavors in the mouth. This was light, clean and green wine, with bright acidity, making it very food friendly. We paired it with roasted chicken, grilled sweet yellow corn-on-the-cob, and a bread salad.

In terms of alcohol, the front label listed 13% while the back label stated 12.5%. Regardless, it's a well balanced, refreshingly bright wine, that is delicious on its own or with food. At $15, I plan to get more if its still available. If not, then I look forward to drinking this wine in the vintages ahead.

Related Links
Élevage Review
Evesham Wood Web Site