Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: Mosel, Germany
Cost: $15 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: The Urban Riesling has everything you can expect from a fine Riesling from Germany’s renowned Mosel Valley. It has a complex, smokey, and floral nose, a juicy, fruity elegant mouthfeel with minerality that finishes off-dry and crisp with the impulse to take the next sip.
My Review: Riesling is a complicated grape for me – I spent five years in Germany in the late 80s and early 90s (Army Brat), so I was exposed to a lot of Riesling as a child. Unfortunately, much of that Riesling, whether because it’s what was available at the time or because that’s what my parents preferred at the time, was on the much sweeter side. As I’ve grown older and explored other regions, I’ve come to appreciate the bone-dry Rieslings produced in the Finger Lakes and other parts of the country.
All of this is a preface to me opening up the 2017 Urban Riesling. So how did it stack up? It’s a good representation of the grape, but also not my preferred style.
In the glass the wine was a lighter yellow, which gave me hope; syrupy-sweet Riesling always tends to be a more golden color. On the nose I picked up floral notes, while in the mouth the wine was juicy, with hints of honey, white flowers, and peach. My wife and I paired the wine with Pork Dan Dan Noodles, a spicy dish (that I highly recommend – seriously, it’s delicious) that did a nice job of cutting through the sweetness.
Now, I don’t mean to imply that this wine was cloyingly sweet, because it wasn’t (though it was sweeter than my wife could handle without the food). That being said, this is definitely one that I needed to pair with food. If you prefer an off-dry Riesling, this may be up your alley, but I still think with some spicy Thai or other Asian food, this wine has some potential to shine. While not my preferred style, there is a place for sweeter whites, and that’s with spicy dishes.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample to review.
