Riesling, Really. Part One of Possibly Many…
I can’t stop praising this grape. I sound like a zealot. Riesling isn’t the most consistent wine on the planet, admittedly there is an ocean of Riesling based booze infused sticky icky grape juice that many an unsuspecting burgeoning wine lover has had forced upon them, only to gag at the sheer lack of balance and gooey flab of this innocuous beverage that a friend or family member kindly was trying to pass off as wine. That said, few wines reach such dazzling heights of complexity or are so painfully cultivated in harsh conditions for miniscule yields. The lesson is that you can’t write off an entire style of wine because you’ve had a few wretched examples… or possibly many wretched examples. There are great Rieslings out there! They are relatively easy to find.
(1) You have to be willing to spend at least $15 dollars on a bottle that is nearly the bare bones minimum.
(2) Get it out of your mind that all Rieslings are going to be sweet. I feel like a broken record. I could spend the rest of my mortal yelling about dry Riesling in the streets, and I would still be met with disbelief on a daily basis. Almost any Riesling from Australia or New Zealand will be dry unless labeled otherwise. Try: Leasingham, Pewseyvale, and Milton Park from Australia, Villa Maria, Selini and others from New Zealand. When it comes to the German wines seek out wines from the Mosel or Rheingau. If you want truly dry wines look for the word “trocken” on the label. Most Kabinett style wines will also be racy light and clean.
(3) This is a great wine to pair food with. If you like spicy Asian foods, in a nutshell Riesling should be your go to. It can compliment foods that are pickled or have vinegar like few others. Be discerning but give it a try.
Tags: Australia, Kabinett, Milwaukee wine, New Zealand, Riesling, trocken
