Groovy Grüner is so gluggable

Saturday Kitchen recently welcomed that icon of the US cooking scene, chef Wolfgang Puck, to cook in his signature style with inspirational zeal.

He was visiting London to launch his new CUTCakes & Tea afternoon tea at 45 Park Lane and we got to talking about his love of wine from his homeland in Austria.

We touched on the beauty of red Blaufränkisch, but if there’s one Austrian grape that’s the pinnacle of summertime sipping, it’s got to be Grüner Veltliner.

If only it could just be called ‘Groovy’, perhaps this dazzling white grape would enjoy even more meteoric success.

You say it ‘Grooner Velt-leener’ and it’s generally made in a dry style – as pristine as the peak of a sharpened Alp and scented as a herby mountain meadow.

This grape is all about freshness and zestiness, and sometimes has a little tickle of spice nipping about like a white peppercorn in a pinball machine. It’s superbly suited to light dishes, from sushi to salads and, when in season, the tricky wine-slaying flavours of artichoke and asparagus.

But if you enjoy Asian spices and curried cooking, it can cope superbly too, and as for an unexpectedly tasty pairing, it’s cracking with camembert and stunning with schnitzel.

The great news as far as finding a decent bottle is that there’s plenty available on the high street, and if you want to get deep into serious Grüner glory, surf some online specialists such as alpinewines.co.uk, or pop in for a glass at Newcomer Wines (newcomerwines.com), which stocks directly from Austrian winemakers.

For an absolute steal, Majestic has Majestic Loves Grüner Veltliner 2016 (12.5%) from Hungary, which starts at £5.99 – the label is eye-catching, the wine is fun and gluggable and it’s a top bet for summer parties this year. And for a real treat this summer, cook a cheeky schnitzel and pour yourself a glass of Grüner. While it may not be quite up to the standard of Wolfang Puck’s cooking, the wine will effortlessly lift the whole experience to the very summit of Mount Enjoyment.