Danube - Grüner Veltliner

by Cynthia Sin-Yi Cheng
May 1, 2005

Danube [CLOSED]
30 Hudson St
(Duane & Reade Sts)
212-571-0378

As Austrian food and wine are a frequent craving of mine, whenever I can find an excuse to treat myself I head for Danube, David Bouley’s TriBeCa restaurant. The stellar cuisine is complemented by a wine list highlighting hard-to-beat Austrian wine choices and prices. And most of all, your personal sommelier, Marin Nadlin, is on hand to direct you to your very own
personal wine cravings. Attentive, knowledgeable and full of charm, Marin is someone whom I trust with wine
taste and suggestions. For this issue I interviewed him on his Austrian wine cravings:

“The first thing that comes to mind with Austrian wines is Grüner Veltliner as it offers one of the most unique wine experiences. It’s an indigenous white
Austrian grape that comes in many styles and expressions and is, in my opinion, one of the most versatile dry white wines around. But most of all, it is the answer to all foods that are supposedly wine-killers, such as asparagus, artichokes, and peppery salads.

Of the numerous great Austrian winemakers who produce Grüners, Martin Nigl’s wines move me the most. With
vineyards located in the Krems valley (a tributary of the Danube river), he manages to produce wines
combining the power and viscosity of the downriver Wachau wines while maintaining elegance and finesse.”

I crave both Austrian white and red wines on a regular basis. But having the opportunity to try several glasses over a meal with an expert to advise me keeps me coming back to Danube!