Never Forget Your First Love

I remember my first introduction to Riesling.  I was at one of my favorite restaurants back in the mid-nineties.  At the time, my wine experience was limited to White Zinfandel.  I asked my server to introduce me to something new.  I was ready to move on from the pink stuff.  He introduced me to Johannesburg Riesling.  Like a lot of folks (some may not be willing to admit it), I initially thought this was a wine from South Africa.  But, nope.  It wasn’t.  It is merely a varietal of the grape.  This particular wine, I remember, was from Washington.  I fell in love with Riesling on that day.  My server may have coached me but I tasted hints of peach and honey and loved the overall fruitiness of what I was tasting.  My new wine, Riesling.  I remember shopping every Friday for Rieslings.  More and more, the wines that I selected weren’t quite like the ones that I had tasted that evening at the restaurant.  I have had some that are bone dry and others that are almost dessert wine clones.  Why?  Because I was tasting wines from various parts of the world.  Yes, they were all Rieslings but why did they taste so different?  The Rieslings from Washington tasted different from the ones from New York.  And they tasted different from the ones grown in Germany.  And then the Germans made them in their own range of styles that they identify on the bottles as Kabinett, Auslese, Spatlese, Beerenauslese…STOP!!!  That seemed so overwhelming for me to learn.  This was one grape, for goodness sake!  But Riesling was my first teacher on how grapes grown in various parts of the world can make such a difference in the bottle.  Most Rieslings are great food wines with their unique balance of acidity and fruit. ‘Tis the season for Riesling.  Because of its versatility, it is a perfect food wine that pairs well with your traditional holiday fare.  Try it with your turkey and sage dressing.  Riesling…my first love.

Revelry Riesling is our November Wine of the Month at The Vine Wine Club.  Use code “November” for free shipping on two or more bottles. 

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"Something to Wine About"

'Tis the Season

I love wine during the holiday season!  It is the great connector and the ideal solution to help you get along better with estranged family and fair-weather friends.  Often times, I am asked which wines to buy with the intentions of pairing with the traditional Thanksgiving meal.  Roasted turkey with gravy, cornbread and sage dressing, cranberry sauce, candied yams, and the wine.  Of course, wine pairings aren't an exact science.  It's about what you like.  But here are some suggestions based strictly on characteristics of the wines.  One of my first recommendations is always Riesling.  I choose Riesling because of its perfect balance of acidity and fruitiness.  Its acidic nature make it a great food wine in general.  Its subtle notes of peach and honeysuckle make it an awesome match for ham and palatable with the turkey.  If you prepare dishes with a little "heat", Riesling is a great option for spicy foods.  My second recommendation is Gewurtraminer.  With its classic essence of pie spices such as cloves, allspice, and cinnamon, it pairs extremely well with the yams, the turkey and dressing.  Still balanced with acidity, the Gewurtraminer offers enough fruit to keep even the sweet wine lovers engaged.  Finally, Pinot Noir is the soft, supple red with notes of black cherry, raspberry, and a hint of vanilla (compliments of the oak fermentation) that is acidic enough to handle pork, the turkey, and the green vegetables.  And for those guests who swear that they can only drink reds, Pinot Noir will be a perfect crowd pleaser.

Disclaimer:  All families aren't the same.  If you are in my family, you may want to consider doing shots.  I'm thinking tequila.  What were you thinking?

The Vine Wine Club features its "Holiday Half", available now through December 15, 2014.  This half case consists of six wines that are perfect pours to please even the most discriminating holiday guests.  Tasting notes are included.  $64.99 plus tax and shipping.  Please visit www.thevinewineclub.com for details and purchase.

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