Ignore the hipsters, give Riesling a whirl
Have you tried a Riesling lately? My bet is no, you haven’t. Riesling was all the rage in the 1970s and is still the favourite of people who are likely your grandparents. This kind of takes the hipster edge off the grape. “Yeah me and my 80-year-old peeps got down on the holidays with this great Riesling!” Not a great start to the conversation with that cute date.
Here’s the thing. You won’t talk to a sommelier or a good chef who doesn’t adore Riesling. They know it’s an uphill climb to get you to drink it. They know many are called but few are chosen. Why do you think people who really know wine love the stuff, and all of your friends get sniffy over it? Ponder this over a bottle you snuck through the door in a brown paper bag.
Riesling is a brisk, slightly sweet grape that you can drink in a zillion styles from dry to sweet to sparkling. It will pair beautifully with pretty much all the food you like – Thai, spicy Asian, fusion, seafood (especially shellfish like lobster, crab and shrimp) – and best of all being out of favour it doesn’t cost the earth. You can still pay the rent and drink the stuff by the case.
Deinhard Green Label is a great place to start. There are more complex and “better” Riesling on the shelf, but save them till you’ve got the hang of the grape. The bouquet is floral, with some aromas of stone. The acidity is crisp, balanced by some residual sugar. The finish is clean.
If you like soft white cheeses like Brie, or shrimp and some dip, try a bottle of Deinhard served cold.
Deinhard Green Label Riesling $14 **** A trendy liquor next week. Other wines on Twitter.com/drbooze.