Varietal: Riesling
Region: France – Alsace
Cost: $13.50
Light in the glass with aromas of citrus. Â Crisp and dry in the mouth with mineral and effervescence on the finish. Â Pairs well with sushi, sashimi, smoked salmon, BBQ chicken.
Recommendations: When a lot of people see Riesling, they instantly think of sweet. Â While this is certainly a correct assumption of the Riesling is from Germany, the bottle of 2008 Woelfelin that I opened last night was not. Â Dry is the quickest way to describe the wine, though certainly not the only. Â Some citrus on the nose and palate, though with the effervescence, minerality, and a touch of acid it was hard to pick out exact citrus fruits beyond just a general sensation.
Paired with a dinner of dry rubbed BBQ chicken and some risotto, the acid was actually nice, and was in fact balanced by the creaminess of the risotto and the slight heat of the chicken. Â All said it was a good pairing. Â Even after the food was gone the wine wasn’t bad, though I definitely think it is better when paired with food than without as the acid can be a bit overwhelming all by itself with nothing to even it out.
If you’ve only ever had sweet German Riesling, than I definitely recommend giving this bottle a try if for not other reason than to see that there’s a big difference between the regions that make Riesling. Â I do recommend pairing it with something, though pretty much anything light should be enough to help out with the acid.
