Weingut Norbert Bauer, Niederösterreich (Austria) Grüner Veltliner 2023

 Wine is full of surprises.  At what turned out to be a very good, unassuming-looking Cambodian restaurant in Brooklyn, Lulu Mae, I saw a Grüner Veltliner by the glass for all of $12 on their short but enticing wine list.  When I asked to see the bottle, the waiter informed me it was from a box, but quickly added, “It’s very good.”  She was correct.  The Bauer family has run the winery for 11 generations, according to their website and recently received Austrian certification for sustainability that also means it must be organic.  With good depth, this energetic Grüner Veltliner cut through the mild — and not so mild — spice, making it ideally suitable to the splendid array of Cambodian dishes on the table.  The $41 price is for a 3-liter box, so that works out to just over $10 if calculated in relation to standard 750ml bottles.