Wegeler Riesling Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: Traditional methods of making sparkling wine are applied to the Riesling grape produced in three different regions of Germany: The Pfalz, the Mosel and the Rheingau. Residual sugar is .5%, well below the threshold for brut (.15). A lovely gold color appeals to the eye, while the aromas reveal a little of the diesel character often associated with Riesling, followed by rich fruit suggesting pineapple, pear and yellow stone fruits. A fine mousse and refined yeastiness enhance the experience. On the palate, the expressive rich fruit is well evolved, and the excellent acidity cuts through, making this a great companion for rich and creamy foods. The Wegeler estate dates to the early 20th century, and owns large holdings in all three growing regions, including acreage in the famous Bernkasteler Doctor vineyard. Foods: mousse of duck or goose liver; foie gras; grilled chicken livers on rosemary skewers; chilled ginger/carrot soup; dim sum, creamy baked oysters, smoked salmon/cream cheese/minced scallion lavosh roll-ups; lemongrass Thai shrimp salad; mild triple cream cheeses (e.g., Brillat-Savarin). Ultimate Distributors $23.00 2007 Ad Hoc Wallflower Riesling Frankland River Western Australia Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Down Under does some excellent Riesling, from Tasmania to Clare and Eden valleys north of Adelaide, Australia, Western Australia, and New Zealand. South Africa turns in a few good examples, too, and Chile is beginning to pay attention to the variety. But Australia is the champion, with some 10,000 acres planted to the variety. From Western Australia, Frankland River, to be exact, comes this lovely example, its aromas just slightly caressed with Riesling’s classic diesel-like scent. Very pale straw in color, this full-bodied dry Riesling presents a fleshy palate of ripe fruit—some apple; some white stone fruits—with gorgeous juiciness and citrus accents on aromas and flavors. Stony minerality adds interest and complexity. A clean, crisp, dry finish wraps the package. Truly a superb example of the type, it is versatile with food: Baked salmon; pork roast if seasoned; chicken; veal; pork cutlets in mustard cream sauce; fish baked in beer and served with a mustard cream sauce; crab-stuffed flounder; pork with ginger; Chinese fare; large-pearl barley with peas, vegetables and curry, cornmeal-crusted catfish with tartar sauce; Thai coconut chicken; creamy mild triple cream cheeses (e.g., Brillat-Savarin) Ultimate Distributors $17.00 2006 Ste. Chapelle Riesling Idaho Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: With its first AVA (Snake River) firmly under its belt, Idaho now is well position to emerge as a player in the wine world of the Pacific Northwest. Focusing on Riesling makes sense for any winemaker in the state as its cool climate provides the perfect circumstance for the grape, which Ste. Chapelle makes in both a dry and a sweet style, and makes as sparkling Riesling and as ice wine. This is the sweeter of the two still dinner wines, and its numbers tell the story of what makes this an exciting wine. With residual sugar at 2.89 g/l, a wicked low ph of 3.0, and high TA (.81 g/l), this is a study in how a sweet wine can have balance and complexity. From aromas to palate, the yellow stone fruit characters explode and captivate with their intensity and complexity. The light golden yellow color gives the wine lovely eye appeal as well. Amazing value. Foods: duck or goose liver mousse; spicy Asian fare; curried chicken or seafood dishes; dishes with ginger; roast pork rubbed with ginger, cardamom, and turbinado sugar (try Hans Rueffert’s “Sugar Baby” seasoning rub); baked ginger salmon with cucumber Asian salsa; dishes with whole-grain mustard and cream (on pork or chicken cutlets); very ripe triple cream cheeses (Pierre Robert—unbelievable!) or aged, nutty cheeses (German Hirtenkäse). Georgia Crown $9.00 2007 Mönchhof Riesling Spätlese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Erdener Treppchen Prädikatswein Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Dating to the 12th century Mönchhof Estate presents a wide range of Riesling types, making Mönchhof a good brand to use to explore Riesling’s expressiveness and food companionability. This one, a spätlese (pronounced schpAYT-lay-zeh), meaning “late picked,” is a moderately sweet (62 g/l residual sugar) full-bodied white wine with a lovely pale straw color. Soft acidity keeps the sweetness from seeming cloying, and promotes the long, fruit-filled finish. Fruit sweetness dominates, while flavors of pear, apple and Asian pear/apple, citrus notes, pineapple—a veritable fruit basket. Luscious, deep and lingering. Don’t fear a sweet Riesling, if the acidity and complexity support the wine, as is the case in this instance. The soils of these vineyards are famous for their blue slate, to which the lovely natural acidity is attributed. Very low alcohol: 8%. Foods: mousse of goose or duck liver; white asparagus with homemade mayonnaise; grilled veal chop; dishes with mild curry (especially chicken, tofu or seafood); Thai chicken coconut curry (Whole Foods—really good); mild triple cream cheeses (Brillat-Savarin); creamy blue cheeses (Cambozola) Prestige Wine Wholesale $25.00 2006 Fritz-Josef Schwibinger Riesling Kabinett feinherb Niersteiner Auflangen (Red Slope) Rheinhessen Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Germany is, of course, Riesling’s native turf, along with Alsace, France, which once was part of Germany. Planted on hills of red stone, these grapes yield a wine that reflects the distinct minerality of the soil. Riesling shows its classic self, presenting a pale straw color, and aromas and flavors that allude most discretely to the traditional yellow stone fruit characters. Low residual sugar (23 g/l or .23), brisk acidity (6.9 g/l or .69) and that intruiging minerality combine to craft a refreshing, mouthwatering wine with moderate alcohol (10%). This estate or weingut goes back to the 17th century. Note on feinherb: The term is being resurrected to replace halbtrocken, or off-dry. Trocken or dry Rieslings can often be mouth-searing, their acidity is so high, creating an opportunity for these well-balanced wines denoted by the term “feinherb.” They are gaining in popularity. The balance in this wine is what makes it especially splendid with or without food: cornmeal-crusted fried catfish with tartar sauce; fried oysters; smoked fish; smoked salmon with cream cheese wrapped in lavosh; fried chicken; roast pork; roast turkey; baked or roasted whole white fish, such as snapper, striped bass, flounder; crab; schnitzel; späzle; vegetarian dishes such as baked sweet potato-stuffed Vidalia onions; potato-focused dishes; nutty aged cheeses, such as German Hirtenkäse. I would also try this with salads and very lean beef. Bacco Fine Wine $22.00 2007 Milbrandt Vineyards Riesling Columbia Valley Traditions Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: Brothers Butch and Jerry Milbrandt farm about 1600 acres of vines in eastern Washington. Evergreen, Pheasant and Wahluke Slope contribute to this luscious Riesling, all lying within the Columbia Valley. Eastern Washington is nearly a desert, with five inches of annual precipitation or less. Its cool climate lends itself ideally to Riesling. Some grapes for the famous Chateau Ste. Michelle “Eroica” Riesling come from what these two siblings produce. Newly arrived in the Atlanta market, the wine shows a lovely yellow gold color, and presents luscious classical yellow stone fruit characters, peach and apricot. A tiny bit of Muscat Canelli lifts the aromas. Well balanced (1.5% residual sugar); .77 total acidity; and way low 3.05 ph), the wine offers an off-dry lusciousness that is, like the aromas, focused on yellow stone fruits. Good acidity makes it absolutely mouthwatering. Foods: All sorts of Asian fare, from spicy seafood, fish and chicken dishes to vegetarian fare; Chinese spicy pork (but not wicked hot) and vegetarian fare; Thai lemongrass seafood and chicken; Korean crab pancakes and steamed dumplings with Ponzu dipping sauce; shumai; chicken apple sausages; chicken breasts baked atop thinly sliced onions and minced garlic; dishes with mustard and chicken or pork cutlets Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC $18.00 2008 Eberle Syrah Rosé Paso Robles Steinbeck Vineyard Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 94 Tasting Note: Long involved with Eberle, Steinbeck Vineyards, which I have just visited, supplies both Syrah and Viognier to the winery , and has just released its own line of wines available only at the vineyard. (No, there’s no connection to the author; I asked, of course.) This long has been one of my favorite rosés. Full-bodied, this dry wine expresses all I enjoy in a rosé, and would suit happily red wine enthusiasts who typically wouldn’t care a thing for a pink wine. The color is a deep reddish pink, and the aromas and flavors capture fine red fruits without being overtly fruity. Hints of strawberry, baking spices, red cherry and red raspberry are well welded, and good acidity keeps the long finish in focus. This one you can sip all day and not tire your palate at the end of the meal. Foods: Spicy lobster/crab dip or shrimp dip; romesco sauce with grilled chicken or pork tenderloin; smoked salmon; baked or grilled salmon; chorizo (but not too hot); salamis and other cured meats; coppo- or prosciutto-wrapped chicken tenders; shrimp or scallops; roast or fried chicken; chicken cacciatore, grilled ham steak, lamb chops rubbed with a mild Moroccan seasoning; grilled sausages, especially lamb; vegetarian Persian dishes based on legumes, especially lentils; baked beans (not too sweet); Cajun-seasoned turkey. It’s really quite endless. Prime Wine & Spirits $17.00 2008 Hendry Ranch Rosé Napa Valley Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 89 Tasting Note: A symphony of red wine grapes—Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec and Primitivo—the Hendry rosé is a saignée, a term that denotes being made from juices that run freely off the freshly picked grapes. Then the wine is fermented at cool temperatures as if it were a white wine. As a result, it presents a range of vibrant red fruit aromas, from strawberry to red raspberry, red cherry, and do we detect a mite of rhubarb in the whole business? Fermented dry, it’s nonetheless juicy and refreshing, exhibiting good fruit sweetness with a long, dry finish. Winemaker George Hendry calls it “a porch wine.” Porch. Pool. Back yard. Dining room. Kitchen. Anywhere. Foods: The winery says try it with fish tacos. We think that’s a smart idea, but wouldn’t turn it down with chicken or pork-filled tacos either. Or fajitas. Also slightly spicy shrimp dip; prosciutto-wrapped shrimp fried or grilled; smoked shrimp; spice-rubbed pork tenderloin; Cajun deep-fried turkey; grilled not-too-hot spicy sausages, such as linguiça; chorizo, paella; Asian beef or pork dishes with some spice Prestige Wine Wholesale $18.00 2008 Carol Shelton Rendezvous Rosé “Cox Vineyard” Mendocino County Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: Carol Shelton is well known for her work with Zinfandel, for which she has garnered many awards. In 2000 she launched her own brand, also focused on Zinfandel. But a few non-Zin varieties enter the mix. Showing a gorgeous rose-reddish pink, this dry rosé is made from certified organically grown Carignane. Srawberry-rich in both aromas and flavors, the wine is produced by the saignée method for which juice is bled off the Carignane grapes soon after they’re crushed. With good minerality, a silky texture, an appealing juiciness, the wine shows evolving red fruit flavors that, as the wine opens, presents hints of other red fruits. Very low residual sugar (.3), the wine will taste dry to most palates. A balance of fruit and moderate acidity makes a good food wine: spicy shrimp/lobster dip; not-too-hot chorizo; turkey burgers; pork barbecue with mildly spicy tomato-based barbecue sauce; chicken or rabbit cacciatoria; wings; mildly seasoned legume-based Persian dishes; buffalo shrimp (but not wicked hot); Asian fare with beef or pork. The winery suggests salmon, but I found the fruit flavors very counter-indicated for oily salmon. On the web site is a recipe for a salad with fruits (including strawberries) and raspberry vinegar, and that pairing makes a great deal of sense to me. Can’t wait to try it! Prime Wine & Spirits $16.00 Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: French sparkling wines from areas outside of Champagne now may be designated “crémant,” including those from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Alsace. This example from Alsace is made entirely of Pinot Noir (yes, it’s grown in Alsace) and presents a delicate pink that in certain lights fades to reddish pale gold. A delicate scent of red fruits introduces a palate that is light, crisp and refreshing. Fresh and clean from start to finish, this is an excellent value. Lucien Albrecht also does a sparkling Riesling and a Chardonnay. Foods: Asian dumplings with soy-based dipping sauce; Szechwan eggplant; artichoke, tomato and black olive salad; dim sum; Chinese fish with black bean sauce; shrimp and crab dip; crab cakes; grilled chicken skewers; savory cocktail pies; shrimp skewers; scallops wrapped in coppa and grilled; parchment-cooked seafood with mild seasonings Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC 2006 Daniel Reverdy Sancerre Rosé Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Rare it is to find a rosé from Sancerre, whose reds are based on Pinot Noir. Known chiefly for whites crafted from Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre has more to offer, and rosé is one of its gems. Even though it’s almost three harvests away from vintage, the wine shows beautiful ripe red fruits, starting with a strong aroma of intense wild strawberries. Red raspberries add a note to the palate, which is crisp and clean, not sweet. Mid palate shows a nice deep red fruit character, and the long finish continues to convey red fruit notes. Deeply delicious. This keeps quite well in the fridge once it’s opened. Grape type: Pinot Noir. Foods: wings; buffalo shrimp; salmon salad; grilled salmon; smoked or roast chicken; paella; grilled sausages; barbecue; barbecued shrimp; Peach State $20.00 2008 Domados Wines Rosillo Rosé de Malbec Mendoza Review Date - 7/1/2009 Score - 91 Tasting Note: Owner Fernando Spigatin says that to make a good wine is like breaking in (domar in Spanish) a good horse, thus the name of the winery. The Malbec grape lends itself beautifully to the making of full-bodied rosés, such as this one. The color is a deep dark red/pink. The aromas and palate revel in red fruits, from wild strawberry, which explodes in mid –palate, to the clean, fruit-filled finish Subtle rather than robust spice notes complement the red fruit mid palate that develops fresh red cherry notes. Foods: spicy shrimp/crab dip, salsa romesco with grilled chicken or pork tenderloin; pulled pork with Johnny’s Pride (perhaps the best we tasted with this wine) or other tomato-based barbecue sauce; empanadas filled with beef, chicken or pork; picadillo; grilled ham steak, sausages, chicken, pork tenderloin; pork belly braised in sorghum syrup and apple juice with Vidalia onions stuffed with sweet potato; fried chicken; fried cornmeal-crusted catfish with Cajun-style Rémoulade sauce, blackened dishes from the Cajun culinary tradition, especially Cajun-style deep-fried turkey Ultimate Distributors $15.00