May 7th, 2008
Wine Blogging Wednesday this month, hosted by Tim at Winecast, focuses on old world Rieslings. We were challenged to taste a Riesling from its motherland of Germany, Alsace, or Austria. Riesling is hot these days, especially during the warm Summer months, though I love it at any time of year. Riesling is especially unique because it expresses itself so differently depending on hang time and terroir. Though many misinformed people think of Riesling as a sweet wine, it can also be bone dry. German Rieslings from the Mosel are perfect examples. Whether sweet or dry on the palate, Riesling is a characteristically flashy grape, which is why it may be falsely understood as sweet in many cases. Those aromas of white flower, honeysuckle, and petrol are hard to miss, and easy to love.
So I was excited when I heard about the theme, but then deeply sad when I realized my week was booked and I had no time to devote to a careful WBW Riesling selection. Though let’s be honest, my WBW picks are typically last minute anyway. But I digress. I was excited today when I realized that Monday night I tasted a lovely Riesling while dining at Annisa in the West Village, for my sister’s birthday. The meal at Annisa was just incredible, and the Bassermann-Jordan Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Kabinett Riesling 2006 from Pfalz, Germany was certainly a contributor to the meal’s success.
We ordered the Bassermann Kabinett after recommendation by our waitress as she said it would pair well with a lot of the courses on the five course tasting menu we had ordered. A Kabinett Riesling is the lowest sugar level for a quality German Riesling, followed in ascending order by Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeereneauslese. A dry Riesling will be labeled “Trocken.” Kabinett also refers to time of harvest, as higher levels of sugar also mean that the grapes were harvested later. The Bassermann had an elegant bouquet of peach and floral aromas with a hint of sweetness on the palate, nice minerality, and a high acidity which made it a perfect pairing for some of the richer courses. It complemented a foie gras soup dumpling just as well as a lighter, Japanese red snapper. When we moved to a meat course of lamb tenderloin wrapped in lamb sausage with garlic chives, the matchup was strange. Perhaps we should learn to drink faster!
In any case, I loved this Riesling. The complex flavors lingered on my palate and it was simply a delight. I found it online in the $18-$24 price range. It’s not cheap, but not exactly a splurge. I would love to have it again when I host friends for a Summer party. I could see it standing on its own or cutting through the richness of a creamy risotto which I love to prepare. Oh and if you’re looking for a great meal downtown in Manhattan, Annisa should be at the top of your list.
Related Posts:
Wine Blogging Wednesdays #37My First Finger Lakes Trip (Everything But the Riesling)The Dumbest Girlfriend In the World
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Thanks for joining us this month Erika. I’m working my way through the entries to post a summary this weekend.
Cheers,
–
Tim Elliott
Winecast
Sounds like you had as much fun with your German Riesling as I did on this Wine Blogging Wednesday!