Surdyk's Price $14.99 Most lifelong Minnesotans (me being one) will say that fall is their favorite season. And while that is true for me, you can’t deny that it is an interesting few months where you often get to experience the other seasons’ weather within this 3-month time frame. Rain, yes. Heat spikes, definitely. Snow, sadly on occasion. Since I can’t control the weather, but I most definitely can control the menu, I choose Gruner Veltliner. Particularly this Gruner from Ecker-Eckhof, a third-generation, family-run winery in Mitterstockstall, Austria, with roots in winemaking dating back to 1580. They began practicing organic in 2019 and became certified in 2022. We are still grilling heavily at my house during the fall months, but burgers and brats are replaced by chicken, salmon, and pork. Vegetables show up in more places than just the salad bowl, and everything seems to be adorned with a ton of herbs. With a citrus core, balanced minerality, and herbaceous, pepper-spice notes, this will pair beautifully with all the vegetables, all the herbs, and white meat (especially but not exclusively) that cooks on a grill. It’s not as sharp as Sauvignon Blanc can be, (which I enjoyed plenty of during summer), and yet leaner than typical Chardonnay or Viognier, which I prefer in much colder months. I should mention it is a 1-liter bottle, which makes this an excellent choice for entertaining. The Ecker-Eckhof Gruner Veltliner is so versatile… perhaps it is to wine what fall is to the other seasons? -Noelle Starr