It Starts With A Grape

Drink up for less

Many people are not yet aware of the wines coming out of China, and many are surprised to learn that they have actually been producing wine for over 3,000 years. Prior to tasting this Riesling I may have been inclined to make some sort of dollar store joke, but I’m happy to report, though it’s not what I’ve come to expect from Riesling, this is one seriously nifty wine!

Its nose was anything but delicate, boasting apricots and home canned peaches, fallowed by aromas of light honey, and, stay with me here, those little gummy lemon wedge candies covered in sugar. Its pretty light in body, but certainly not in flavor! This is possibly the ‘greenest’ Riesling I have ever encountered, with fresh cut grass front and center on the palate accompanied by lemonade like flavors, it’s reminiscent of spiked lemonade. (I’d also like to mention that this is a dry riesling, no sugar here.) In a final twist, this Chinese Riesling presents a lengthy tropical finish, with just a hint of under ripe green apple. I paired it with cajun shrimp seasoned liberally with black pepper, and a healthy dose of cayenne, over a bed of diced roasted red pepper and yellow tomato.

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This, off-dry, Washington state Riesling is the best I’ve had in long time. I’ve often said Riesling is the red wine drinkers white wine, due to the complex nature of Rieslings, their many layers, and their diverse flavor profiles. This one is no exception. It opens with a nose of pineapple, fresh peaches, and nuances of clove and cinnamon. It manages to display crisp and tropical fruit flavors, without having an over-bearing lemony, acidic taste. There’s mangoes and apricots to wake up your taste buds , with just hints of honey. It has a slight effervescent quality to it, but still maintains a nice full, rounded off mouth feel. And, as far as sweetness goes, it lays somewhere between being off-dry and semi-sweet.  For a complete drinking experience, pair it with an ultra stinky, super blue, creamy Gorgonzola cheese, trust me it will work wonders in your mouth! If your looking to pair it with a meal, pick scallops, or chicken in a creamy sauce.

In the traditional flow of German Riesling Spatlese, this is a sweet white wine. Now, its not syrupy sweet, but just take note, if you prefer super dry, oaky white wines, it may be a tad too sweet for you. That being said, this is one of my favorite rieslings, it has a delicate nose with notes of candied apricots, and mild citrus. It has a rather creamy mouth feel, consisting of peaches and tart pears. This is accompanied by lemon zesty undertones, who’s acidity cuts the sweetness nicely, which i think makes this wine far more palatable, and increases the versatility of its fan base.  It pairs excellently with anything Thai, and an array of spicy Indian dishes. Its a fairly easy drinking wine, and its perfect for those who enjoy a mildly complex wine, but prefer it to be a little on the sweet side.