The 2007 Gruner Veltliner Gobelsburger (sold as “Domaine Gobelsburg” within Europe) does its usual job of offering clear, refreshing fruit, with invigoratingly pungent notes of cress and pepper, and saline mineral suggestions. It is once again hard to beat the excellent value offered by this wine, which should be enjoyed within the next 18-24 months. Michael Moosbrugger did not begin his main white wine harvest – even for lighter-weight Gruner Veltliner – until mid-October. Unlike most Krems area growers he also picked nobly sweet wine, based on a late bloom of botrytis. Moosbrugger seems to have achieved some (considering the weather) surprisingly successful reds in 2007, having painstakingly cut off half of each cluster to inhibit the development of rot, then harvested prior to any of his whites. (I’ll report on those reds after I have re-tasted them from bottle. For notes on two outstanding 2006 vintage reds which have since lived up to their promise in bottle, consult my report in issue 177.)Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300