After oak-laden whites and rich reds imbibed during cold weather, uncorking a Riesling or Gewurztraminer is like putting on that breezy spring clothing. With seductive scents of honeysuckle and orange blossom and delicate flavors of peach and spice, these aromatic whites are a wine wardrobe's breath of fresh air.
Both Gewurztraminer and Riesling are highly aromatic varities, but have uniquely different personalities. The two share intensely floral, spicy, and fruity qualities and an uncanny ability to age, yet Gewurztraminer shows its appeal the minute it's poured. Riesling tends to be more reserved, revealing itself slowly in the glass.
Riesling is a versatile wine for pairing with food because of its balance of sugar and acidity. It can be paired with white fish or pork, and is one of the few wines that can stand up to the stronger flavors and spices of Thai and Chinese cuisine. A Riesling's typical aromas are of flowers, tropical fruits, and mineral stone (such as sate or quartz).
Riesling is almost never fermented or aged in oak (although large old oak barrels are often used to store and stabilize Riesling based wines in Germany and Alsace). This means that Riesling tends to be lighter weight and therefore suitable to a wider range of foods. The sharp acidity/sweetness in Rieslings can serve as a good balance to foods that have a high salt content.
We had a wonderful evening and Will and Alex did a fabulous job as our hosts this month! It was fun to be at a different location and we definitely had a full house! We munched on a great spread of mixed cheeses, salmon, salami and chocolate. Thank you to Alex and Will for opening your home to us all. What an awesome time we all had!
Here are the Rieslings we sampled from the evening in order of our most favorite:
Melanie and Brad: Vin D' Alsace Reserve - 2008 Riesling - France - $15.99
Jean: B Lovely - 2008 Late Harvest Riesling - Washington - $11.99
John: Dr. Loosen - 2007 Riesling - Spatlese Graacher Himmereich Mosel - Germany - $31.99
Erika: Blue Moon - Bridgeview Vineyard - 2008 Riesling - Oregon - $8.99
Krystal and Cody: Hanwood Estate - 2008 Riesling - South Eastern Australia - $12.99
Chad and Renee: Mirassou - 2008 Riesling - California - $7.99
Here are the Gewurztraminer wines we sampled in order of our most favorite:
Andrew: Petals - 2008 Gewerztraminer - Germany - $8.99
Shannon: Fetzer - 2008 Gewerztraminer - California - $5.99
Lorraine: Gundlach Bundschu - Sonoma Valley Rhineform Vineyard - 2004 Gewerztrminer - California - $24.99
Both Gewurztraminer and Riesling are highly aromatic varities, but have uniquely different personalities. The two share intensely floral, spicy, and fruity qualities and an uncanny ability to age, yet Gewurztraminer shows its appeal the minute it's poured. Riesling tends to be more reserved, revealing itself slowly in the glass.
Riesling is a versatile wine for pairing with food because of its balance of sugar and acidity. It can be paired with white fish or pork, and is one of the few wines that can stand up to the stronger flavors and spices of Thai and Chinese cuisine. A Riesling's typical aromas are of flowers, tropical fruits, and mineral stone (such as sate or quartz).
Riesling is almost never fermented or aged in oak (although large old oak barrels are often used to store and stabilize Riesling based wines in Germany and Alsace). This means that Riesling tends to be lighter weight and therefore suitable to a wider range of foods. The sharp acidity/sweetness in Rieslings can serve as a good balance to foods that have a high salt content.
We had a wonderful evening and Will and Alex did a fabulous job as our hosts this month! It was fun to be at a different location and we definitely had a full house! We munched on a great spread of mixed cheeses, salmon, salami and chocolate. Thank you to Alex and Will for opening your home to us all. What an awesome time we all had!
Here are the Rieslings we sampled from the evening in order of our most favorite:
Melanie and Brad: Vin D' Alsace Reserve - 2008 Riesling - France - $15.99
Jean: B Lovely - 2008 Late Harvest Riesling - Washington - $11.99
John: Dr. Loosen - 2007 Riesling - Spatlese Graacher Himmereich Mosel - Germany - $31.99
Erika: Blue Moon - Bridgeview Vineyard - 2008 Riesling - Oregon - $8.99
Krystal and Cody: Hanwood Estate - 2008 Riesling - South Eastern Australia - $12.99
Chad and Renee: Mirassou - 2008 Riesling - California - $7.99
Here are the Gewurztraminer wines we sampled in order of our most favorite:
Andrew: Petals - 2008 Gewerztraminer - Germany - $8.99
Shannon: Fetzer - 2008 Gewerztraminer - California - $5.99
Lorraine: Gundlach Bundschu - Sonoma Valley Rhineform Vineyard - 2004 Gewerztrminer - California - $24.99
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