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Wine SIG tastes Rieslings
By Suzanne Kordesh

When handed a wine list, few of us think of Riesling—a complex and versatile wine that deserves more attention than it gets. The recent Wine SIG at Spring Kraeger’s home in Marin decided to change that mindset and give a fine wine its due. The group sampled a total of nine Rieslings, including bottles from Alsace, France, Australia, New Zealand, and from the German regions Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau and Rheinhessen.

The group found the varietal easy and refreshing to drink, with an alcohol content ranging from a low of 8% to 12.5%. More challenging was pronouncing and deciphering the label content. Words like “Spätlese (late harvest) and Auslese (pronounced “OWS-lay-zuh”) came easily to some, but made others stammer and point helplessly at the bottle when beckoning for another taste. Thank goodness we didn’t drink the Monsheimer Silberberg Rieslaner Auslese from Rheinhessen!

Rieslings are often thought to be sweet, simple wines, but they can range from lusciously sweet to dry (trocken) in character. The sweet Rieslings are balanced with enough acidity and ripe fruit to make them complex, crisp and refreshing. They pair well with Asian spices, inspiring members to dine on hot and spicy shrimp, salmon spreads, and Thai chicken salad while sipping wine.

In the end, the group chose the exceptionally well-balanced and minerally 2004 Domaines Schlumberger Grand Cru Saering from Alsace, France ($18) as the tasting favorite. Second place went to the 2005 Giesen from southeastern New Zealand ($8) and third place went to the 2005 Gessinger Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Old Vines from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany ($15).

Between 2003 and 2006, Riesling sales grew a robust 72 percent according to a recent Nielsen report. With a comfortable price range of $8 - $22, they are likely to find a larger audience seeking a very pleasant wine for a reasonable cost.

 
 
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