It was a glorious evening and for our first outdoor dinner of 2009 we made this recipe from Bon Apetite for dinner.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Radishes, Cucumbers, and Tarragon Pesto.
I was low on white wine so I made a quick stop at Home Liquors on my way back from Verona Farms Fruit and Vegetable Market in Verona, NJ, where I bought the ingredients for the salad. At Home I found this great Gruner Veltliner in the cooler for $9.00 bucks. The wine is made by Erich & Maria Berger in Kremstal, Weinland, Austria.
I thought it would go well with the Tarragon pesto. It was perfect.
According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Berger’s basic is an excellent 2007 
Gruner Veltliner to keep in your refrigerator anytime over the next year (although you’ll need a stopper for it since it is sealed, as so often the case for Austrian liter-bottlings, with a crown cap). Lime, green rhubarb, fresh spinach, nut oils, and a hint of honey inform this refreshing, invigoratingly sweet-tart entry level offering." (08/08) There is something crazily appealing about this wine. Maybe it's the squat green blue container with a twist-off cap, the glass bottle equivalent of your favorite uncle Herb. Or perhaps it is the price: less than $12 for a whole liter of wine. Then again, there is the wine itself, bright, herbaceaous, clean and so very very versatile. Keep one in your fridge for last minute dinner guests, or for yourself. It goes with anything--spicy food, fried food, or no food at all! According to importer Terry Theise: "This is the best of the GrüVe liters in ‘07, and please don’t ignore it just because it’s been around the longest. It has the most density, fruit and substance; it is interesting and delicious and well above its class."
Gruner Veltliner is a great summer wine. If you have not tried it, now is the time.
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
Hope the wedding is in the spring. We would be happy to make this salad for you in whatever quanitiy you like.
Posted by: Manoavino | 02/20/2010 at 19:47
i want to place an order for grilled chicken salad for my son, wedding
Posted by: jill wall | 02/14/2010 at 22:19
That does look like a supremely delicious salad. I'd like to try making it myself. I agree that Gruner Veltliner is a great summer wine. I'm a big fan of LOIS by Fred Loimer and the "Singing" GV by Laurenz V. Gruner is a lovely wine to pair with a large variety of foods, including hard to pair foods like asparagus or artichoke.
Posted by: Laurie Tadayon | 05/14/2009 at 11:44
Peter,
What a gorgeous salad, I have bookmarked it to try it!
Posted by: Stacey Snacks | 04/30/2009 at 09:34