Category Archives: Riesling

Germany: Light, refreshing and underrated

July 24, 2018 Gwendolyn

If you think you know German wine, think again. German wines are some of the most complex, interesting and delicious wines in the world. If you are a German wine fan, you are aware of this little secret, but for those who skip the tall bottles labeled with unfamiliar German text, you are missing out. Through my wine-centered academic pursuits, I often encounter resistance to look past one’s own inexperience with German labeling and pronunciation, and that is a shame. If we can add foreign terms like “Chateau” and “Grand Cru” to our wine vocabulary, we can learn to recognize the German counterparts of “Schloss” and “Grosses Gewächs” — and open ourselves up to a whole new world of electric Rieslings and elegant Pinots. Here are some educational tid-bits that may help you in understanding and buying German wine — you’ll soon realize that reading German wine labels is as easy as drinking Riesling.

The White Grapes:
The most common grape associated with Germany is Riesling. Germany is the homeland of Riesling and it is the region’s most-planted varietal, so this is a reasonable association. In Germany’s cooler climate, Riesling quite often produces a dry wine, with an array of fruit flavors backed by incredibly refreshing acidity (hello, summer!) and a mineral undertone. What makes Riesling unique –and possibly misunderstood — is its ability to be bone dry yet carry such juicy and ripe fruit through its aromas and flavors. And oh, did I mention the crisp and refreshing acidity? And…should you prefer sweeter wines, no better place to find top-quality than Germany; late harvest German Riesling is some of the best and most age-worthy sweet wine in the world!

In addition to Riesling, Germany produces Müller-Thurgau, an easy-drinking, refreshing white wine with apple and pear flavors perfect for hot summer days, Silvaner, a traditional variety in the Rheinhessen and Frankenregions that offers subtle notes of stone fruits with an herbal edge, Pinot Gris (also known as Grauburgunder) and Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder). The latter two are grapes you probably know from other regions, but here in Germany they are a bit more rich and round than their other European counterparts, with loads of ripe fruit and soft acidity.

The Black Grapes:
While the region is most well-known for its fresh, elegant whites, Germany also produces bright, fruit-driven reds. Pinot Noir (also known as Spätburgunder) accounts for 11% of Germany’s total vineyard area, producing red wines with cherry, vanilla and pepper characteristics. In fact, Germany now grows more Pinot Noir than New Zealand and Australia combined, making Germany the third largest Pinot Noir producer in the world.

In addition to Pinot Noir, Germany produces Dornfelder – a thick-skinned grape that produces deeply colored red wines with flavors of blackberry, plum and Elder Flower. If you are hesitant to stock up on German wines because you fear it’s sweet or don’t understand the label, here are a couple of tips for diving in.

Understanding the wine style:
If you don’t want sweet, look for words that indicate dry. One of those terms used is Trocken. Trocken means “dry” in German and some wineries add this word to their labels to alert consumers that the particular wine is indeed dry. Then there is Grosses Gewächs. Sometimes shown as simply “GG” on the bottle, it means two things — first, it’s a dry style, and, second, it comes from a top vineyard site. Typically these will be higher in price, but also in quality. Kabinett, a term that indicates the sugar level of the grapes when they are picked, is typically light in body and can range from off-dry to drier in style. An easy way to determine just how dry the wine is? Look at the alcohol content. Kabinett Riesling with an alcohol level between 8-9% ABV will have more residual sugar, while drier styles can reach 12% ABV. If you want to start with Riesling on the delicate side, go to the Mosel. You will see Mosel on the label, but you can also tell because Mosel wines are bottled in a tall flute-shaped greenbottle. The Mosel, dominated by slate soils on steep slopes near rivers, produces some of the best quality dry (and sweet!) Riesling of Germany. Across all price points, these wines offer citrus and stone fruit, backed by a steely minerality. They are delicate and delicious and a perfect foray into the delights of German wine.

We encourage you to embrace German wines, especially this summer, and enjoy that perfect summer mix of delightful acidity and juicy fruit flavors. You will be the hit at every summer party!

Chenin Blanc, Food + Wine, Gewurztraminer, Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, Tips + Tricks, Viognier

Wine Pairing Strategies for Thai and Sushi

January 29, 2018 Gwendolyn 1 Comment

Let’s face it Asian fare is downright delicious, but it can be tricky to find solid wine pairing partnerships given the dynamic fusion of flavors, spices and otherwise exotic ingredients. In general, spicy themes beg for a wine that tames the heat with a touch of sweet (think German Riesling and off-dry Gewurztraminer). So, wines that carry higher levels of alcohol and lean heavily into oak, tend to overwhelm many of the innate flavors of Thai and sushi finds.

Wine Pairing: Thai

From super savory to feel-the-heat spicy green curries and creamy coconut milk textures to the full-on fusion of sour, sweet, salty and bitter found in your favorite Pad Thai, there is plenty of variety and culinary innovation busting out of most modern Thai dishes. When it comes to partnering up a wine, there are several things to consider.

Sweet tames heat: for super spicy dishes, grab a wine that carries its own dash of residual sugar. This bit of sweet puts out the flames of hot red and green chili peppers quite well and fans the flames of flavor integration. German Rieslings at 9% abv or less are no-brainers for spicier curries.
Bold flavors beg for less bold wines: Austria’s groovy Gruner Vetliner delivers savory flavors all wrapped up in rich fruit that won’t compete with the bolder flavors, but lighter weight of shrimp Pad Thai or more mild curries.
Acidity is a good thing: when you’ve got moderate protein, a mix of funky flavors and exotic aromas and typically a starch base of noodles or rice, wines that deliver a dose of zesty acidity tend to highlight the flavors and carry the dish with added dimension.

Quick Pairing Picks:

Wine Pairing: Sushi

Salty seaweed, wasabi, pickled ginger and raw fish. Not one of the easier pairings by any standards, but fully capable of showing fantastic potential with a handful of wine styles. As you increase the spice component, you want to decrease the alcohol levels or the alcohol will just amplify the heat and douse the flavors. For super versatile, tried and true pairings, you can rarely go wrong with off-dry Gewurztraminer or German Riesling (again). However, for more detailed menu matching, sometimes it’s easier to start with the protein for pairing. Let’s check in on wines for these ultra-popular rolls.

Crab Roll: The basic crab roll is picture perfect for pairing with an Alsatian Gewurztraminer or classic German Riesling, both teaming with mouth-watering acidity and forward fruit. These wines promise to play extremely well with the crab, cucumber and avocado that typically pack themselves into your everyday crab roll. Want to turn it up a notch? Give it a go with an off-dry Vouvray, based on the Chenin Blanc grape, that brings zippy acidity, round textures and lots of minerality that plays off the briny character of the crab meat.
Spicy Tuna Roll: The extroverted flavors and palate weight of the traditional spicy tuna roll call for a wine that shares many of the same characteristics. Enter Viognier. Highly aromatic, showing plenty of apricot and honeysuckle on the nose with more on display on the palate, Viognier echoes many of the characteristics of the roll itself – fresh, fuller bodied, complicated, versatile with rich silky textures.
California Roll: Avocado, cucumber and crab. Does it get any better than that? Well, with sushi, yes…often it does! But, the basic California roll is still loved by young and old alike, it’s a great introduction to all things sushi and provides a snappy pairing with everything from Alsatian Rieslings with their drier styles or the often herbaceous, topped with sunny citrus New World Sauvignon Blanc.
Tempura Shrimp Roll: The crispy, fried textures of the tempura make sparkling wines and Champagne a must-have glass for cutting through the yummy, fatty flavor profiles of your basic tempura shrimp roll.
Salmon Roll: Most salmon rolls show well with sparkling and still roses. The sparkling roses promise to cut through the fatty textures and clean the palate in one fell swoop.
Eel Roll (aka: Unagi or Dragon Roll): Earthy and briny, eel rolls work exceptionally well with the full-throttle aromatics and slightly sweeter side of Gewurztraminer, as does the snazzy, sweet, soy-based Unagi sauce that usually accompanies the roll.

Quick Pairing Picks:

Washington, Basics, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Staff Picks, Syrah / Shiraz, Varietals & Styles, Wine Education

Washington Wine

August 11, 2017 Marcella Newhouse

Brimming with a pioneer spirit, Washington state is not just host to some of our country’s biggest success stories like Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, and Costco, it has actually become America’s second largest wine producer, after California! Doubling in the last 10 years from 450 in 2006 to over 900 today, it boasts an exploding number of wineries. On top of that, out of Washington’s 900 wineries, nearly 850 are small, and family owned.

Presently, the state has more than 50,000 acres of vines spread out across its diverse landscapes from evergreen forests in the west to sagebrush desert in the east where a particular mixture of soils contribute to making Washington wine truly unique.

Wa Wine Map — Washington Wine Map. From Washington State Wine.

With the exception of two (Puget Sound and Columbia Gorge), all of the AVAs of Washington state are actually sub-AVAs of the larger Columbia Valley. This valley is the center of a soil base of basalt bedrock. On top of this base are the soils of the Missoula Floods, a series of 30 cataclysmic floods occurring after the last Ice Age 15,000 years ago. After the damn of the glacial lake covering parts of Montana and Canada broke, it sent huge rivers of water rushing from Western Montana, across the state and out to the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It brought with it granite and well-drained, clay-poor soils. On top of the Missoula Floods layer are loess and wind deposits that have been scattered and blown over the landscape for years. These vary from four to 50 feet deep in places.

In the eastern part of the state, where almost all of its AVAs are located (14 total in the Washington), this windy and rolling landscape has a dry and arid climate; this combined with the soils make the area inhospitable to phylloxera, an aphid-like insect that feeds on grapevine roots. This extraordinary set of climate and soil conditions means that vine grafting is not needed and virtually all of the state’s vines grow on their own rootstocks, which some would argue makes a more authentic wine.

While the state produces wine from well over 40 varieties, it particularly excels in making fantastic wines from Cabernet Sauvingon, Merlot, and Syrah for reds and Riesling and Chardonnay for whites. Here are some of our favorites, which we find to all express the spirit of Washington wine!

The 2013 Figgins Estate Red is a truly remarkable blend. Consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, it shows a pretty mix of aromas of cocoa powder, forest floor, and red cherry. A full and ripe palate brimming with black fruit, which leads to a long, fine-grained finish. This is a special one that will lie down in the cellar for a few years!

Figgins Estate Vineyard Walla Walla Washington — Figgins Family Wine Estates fall release party, Walla Walla, Washington. From Washington State Wine.

One of the most famous and arguably the best Cabernet vineyards in the state, the Champoux Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, turns out some of the most supple and well-balanced reds. Januik Winery 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon shows exotic aromas of dried flowers and florest floor. The palate explodes with black and red berries; the finish is full of sweet, velveteen tannins.

Wines of Substance Super Substance Stoneridge 2013 Merlot is a great example of what Washington is capable of. Pronounced aromas of blackberry pie, conserve, and cola give way to a big, juicy, and ripe fruit flavors, a hint of espresso, black licorice, and a good depth in the finish.

Les Collines 20140622 1 — Les Collines vineyard in spring, Walla Walla, Washington. From Washington State Wine.

Syrah absolutely flourishes in many of Washington’s AVAs. Gramercy Cellars 2013 The Deuce Syrah is a benchmark Washington Syrah and will remind avid Syrah lovers of Northern Rhone. The Syrah grapes come from three vineyards in Walla Walla: Les Collines, Forgotten Hills, and Old Stones. Aromas of violets, olives, and white pepper balance the savory flavors and stony, mineral texture.

Eroica 2015 Riesling offers an amazing balance of ripe citrus fruit, intriguing floral notes, and a mouth-watering acidity typical of Washington Riesling.

Abeja 20140607 004 — Abeja Vineyard, Walla Walla, Washington. From Washington State Wine.

The Abeja Chardonnay gives pleasant aromas of white flowers and pear. On the palate its unctuous texture is balanced by a refreshing acidity. Flavors of lemon chiffon and nectarine come to mind.

To search out more Washington wines to try, follow this link.

For everything you wanted to know about Washington wine, check out the Washington State Wine website.

Wine Notes