Roll Wine & Spirits
Spring's Perfect Match: Riesling
by Timothy Buzinski & Mei Ying So
Spring’s Perfect Match: Riesling
Change is afoot. You sense it in the air: the chill, a little less penetrating; the scent, a bit more aromatic; and the sun, brighter and more warming. As we turn to storing our winter coats, so do our cravings turn from cellar-stored vegetables. Luckily, April in the Hudson Valley brings foraged treasures such as fiddlehead ferns and ramps, and local farms start to add young asparagus to their harvest schedule. What to drink with these delicate flavors? In a word, riesling. To those of you with riesling prejudices, listen up. Riesling, by definition, is not sweet. It is arguably the most versatile grape, produced in a wide range of styles, from bone-dry to dessert-sweet. For perfect pairing with spring’s fleeting bounty, we’ll focus on drier-style rieslings.
Why Riesling, Why Now?
The nose: captivating aromatics that can range from green apple to ripe pear, to luscious peach, apricot and blossom notes. The wide array of flavors: from lemony minerality to rich stone-fruits that linger on the palate. Finally, good riesling has an intense acidity that cleanses and refreshes while dancing around the bright, green flavors so prominent this time of year.
Where Do You Find Riesling?
Riesling is indigenous to Germany, where a complex classification system has developed through the centuries. However, riesling is one of the world’s great grapes, in part because it can, like cabernet sauvignon, adapt to many different regions, soils and climates while retaining its essence. That said, riesling loves a cool climate. Historically, that meant looking to Germany, Austria, and France’s Alsace...
CONTINUE...
|
