Zocker, the Austria word for “gambler,” is a new project by the Niven Family Wine Estates, a top producer in California’s central coast.
The Gruner Veltliner varietal is a rare and idiosyncratic pleasure in California. It’s a grape much more known in its homeland of Austria, where it makes crisp and mineral-laden wines of great vigor.
This bottling by Zocker offers similar pleasures but is in a league all its own. Crystalline flavors of peach, ginger, and grapefruit comprise the nose, similar to a high-toned Sauvignon Blanc. Secondary flavors of iron, ocean air, and peaches add a wonderful complexity to this exotic wine. Strongly recommended for the coming summer months.
I bought this wine as a dinner party gift because it was super cheap and my wife loved that the bottle looked way more expensive. Absolutely everyone loved this and I had to go back to the store and buy two more bottles. It has a nice acidic structure and savory peach and nectarines flavors.