Going Back, Back to Cali, Cali

And I'm not talking Napa.  Tonight at The Dutch was a wine from Santa Barbara, southern counterpoint to the famed Northern wine country.  Wanna get fun n' funky? It was a Gruner Veltliner, most often found in Austria.  The Habit, Gruner Veltliner, Santa Ynez Valley, 2012, had some of the classic Gruner qualities - lime, lemon peel, slate, rocky - but there was a slight roundness of green apple and pear that spoke to the New World's love of fruit. High acid but not attacking on the finish, this was a great wine for both sipping and light fish dishes (lobster salad with mustard oil and Old Bay as the app and tilefish with a Thai herb broth for the main course, in case you were wondering. Oh yeah, and blueberry pie).  According to the sommelier, the vineyard is a side project for the winemaker who's main career is a voiceover artist.  I think he should give up his day job, this stuff was friggin' good. 

Crappy picture, good wine.  Habit Gruner Veltliner.  Photo by Shana Sokol, Shana Speaks Wine