2007 Kurt Angerer Grüner Veltliner ‘Kies’ Quick swirl

Bring a bottle of this Gruner Veltliner to a dinner party and guaranteed it won’t disappear without anybody noticing it, the way an oaky Chardonnay or an indifferent Sauvignon Blanc might. Racy and full of life, the 2007 Kurt Angerer “Kies” has the wonderful green apple and white peppercorn note of the best Gruners. This one comes from Kamptal and a vintner whose family has been in the wine business for 150 years.

Open a bottle for some oysters on the half shell, steamed shellfish or a chilled Dungeness crab. I like it with smoked trout or salmon too. It also makes a fine aperitif. And at less than $20, you can afford to have some on hand to take to a dinner party or maybe uncork one night to enjoy while watching Gabriel Byrne parse a new set of patients’ problems on HBO’s “In Treatment.”

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Region: Kamptal

Price: $14 to $18

Style: Lively, spicy

What it goes with: Oysters, smoked fish, steamed shellfish, sushi

Where to find it: K&L; Wine Merchants in Hollywood (323) 464-9463, www .klwines.com; Mission Wines in South Pasadena (626) 403-9463, www.mission wines.com; Salt Creek Wine Co. in Laguna Niguel (949) 249-9463, www.saltcreek winestore.com; and Wine Exchange in Orange (714) 974-1454, www.winex.com; the Wine Club in Santa Ana (714) 835-6485, www.the wineclub.com; the Wine House in West Los Angeles (310) 479-3731, www.winehouse .com.

-- S. Irene Virbila