2015 Domaine Begude Grüner Veltliner "Exotique" Pays d'Oc

Staff Reviews

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David Othenin-Girard

David Othenin-Girard

This special little oddity is so familiar yet not quite what you'd expect. Gruner apply and subtle mineral quality paired with a building fresh herbal quality and a great dry stony note on the finish. Totally fun and priced to give Austrian liters some heat.

JM

John Majeski

John Majeski

Now for something completely different. James Kinglake, owner of Begude, made an end run around the authorized French varieties when he brought cuttings of this grape from a fellow winemaker in Austria. One sip and you will appreciate the clandestine brilliance of his maneuver, for this is an elegant, tantalizing rendition—vibrant, dry, light-bodied, suffused with telltale white pepper, green melon and lentil flavors, finishing with a note of celery and cucumber. This complex wine would be well-paired with a stir-fry of Asian noodles, vegetables and pork.

Notes

Domaine Begude is a small, family-owned property located high in the foothills of the Pyrenees in the Limoux region of the Languedoc. The long, cool growing season lends itself perfectly to the production of crisp and delicate wines, all organically certified by Ecocert & NOP. The "Exotique" is 100% Grüner Veltliner, a grape not authorized for cultivation in France. James Kinglake, owner of Begude, wanted to experiment so he sought out cuttings from his friend Markus Huber of Huber winery located in the Traisental region of Austria. The experiment succeeded, and it has become a bit of a cult sensation as a Secret Wine of the South. On the label it only reads GV, which the government believes means "Grand Vin," but we know differently. The wine is classic Grüner, with crisp yellow apple and spiced pear notes. It has great acidity and a touch more roundness, similar to a wine from Wachau. It follows in the tradition of great Grüners for a remarkably reasonable price. (Keith Mabry, K&L French Regional Buyer)