Winemaker Notes
Medium light straw-gold in color. Salivating aromas of white grapefruit, Meyer lemon, and white pepper. As these vines age, the fruit seems to be taking on more of an "Austrian" profile. Medium to medium-full body, flavors of yellow citrus (again, grapefruit and lemon) are delivered with the most silken texture.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Bright yellow/straw in hue, the 2022 Gruner Veltliner Steiner Vineyard was raised in stainless steel for this vintage, since there was not enough of it to go into the large 1200-liter barrel Mike Officer had intended to age it in. In the glass, the oak aging is not missed. The wine offers a fresh and sunny profile in its aromas of salted pineapple, white pepper, lime pith, and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied, it has good richness, a pithy texture, and a clean, savory finish. It’s very nicely done, with a lot of varietal character and a clean, ripe feel.
Fun to say and delightfully easy to drink, Grüner Veltliner calls Austria its homeland. While some easily quaffable Grüners come in a one-liter—a convenient size—many high caliber single vineyard bottlings can benefit from cellar aging. Somm Secret—About 75% of the world’s Grüner Veltliner comes from Austria but the variety is gaining ground in other countries, namely Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States.
Defined more by altitude than geographical outline, the Sonoma Mountain appellation occupies elevations between 400 and 1,200 feet on the northern and eastern slopes of the actual Sonoma Mountain and is part of the greater Sonoma Valley appellation. The mountain reaches 2,400 feet; its hills separate the cooling winds of Petaluma Gap from the Sonoma Valley.
On a cooler western flank, Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Syrah enjoy a great deal of success. Vineyards on its warmer, eastern side, interspersed with heavily forested areas, tend to include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, and Syrah. Given its complexity of topography and mesoclimates, Sonoma Mountain excels with a wide range of grape varieties.