Great Wine Source Wine Blog

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Posts Tagged riesling

Wine of the Day – Albariño

Jan 24

Posted by greatWineSource in Spain, Whites, Wine of the Day | Comments off

Wine of the Day for January 24, 2010

Albariño

Starting out in a new week of grapes, I think I’ll focus on the Spanish originating grapes. Why? No special reason, other than I can live vicariously through my blogs since I haven’t had the opportunity to travel to these regions myself … yet!

Albarino

Origin

Albariño is called “wine of the sea” because it originates in northwest Spain in the Rías Baixas region, along the Atlantic coast of Spain. It is also grown extensively in the Monção region in northwest Portugal.

Style

Albariño is a white wine grape that thrives in the cool climate of the northern region of Spain and Portugal. This small green grape is thought to be related to Riesling.

Unlike many other European wines which are labeled after the region in which they are grown, Albariño is labeled as the grape (e.g. tempranillo grape creates Rioja wine and is labeled in Europe as Rioja).

Characteristics

This grape produces a golden color wine, with aromas of peach, apricot, and honeysuckle similar to Viognier and Gewürztraminer, along with strong floral notes and a crisp acidity.

Pairing

Enjoy this wine with fried chicken, seafood pastas (lighter sauces) and tilapia.

Bunco party

As I mentioned in the post yesterday, I had a Bunco game at my house last night: lots of food (yummy sushi from Koreanas in Appleton), beverages and of course, we did play Bunco. I opened a Pinot Grigio, Muscat and Cabernet Sauvignon instead of the Misti Bianco, so I’ll have to let you know at a later date (after 1/28) more about the Misti Bianco.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to play Bunco, find a game. It is great fun and gives you a chance to win a little money too!

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Wine of the Day – Chardonnay

Jan 12

Posted by greatWineSource in California, France, Whites, Wine of the Day | 1 Comment

Wine of the Day for January 12, 2010

Chardonnay

The weather promises to warm up here this week, so I’ll wrap up today with a chilled white wine again and tomorrow perhaps I’ll move on to a luscious red. The great thing about this blog is I don’t know from day-to-day which wines I’m going to focus on, so it’s a new experience for me each day, and I hope an enjoyable one for you too.

Chardonnnay grape  

Chardonnay is grown all over the world, although it originated in Burgundy (and is the varietal found in the wine White Burgundy). It is also an important grape in Champagne (as I mentioned in an earlier post).

Chardonnay grapes are very hardy; a primary reason for its popularity and versatility. Chardonnay wines are always dry, so if you lean toward drier wines, this grape is a good choice. When aged in oak, it will give the wine complexity, depth, full body with a buttery finish, but should also involve a balance of oak. If you are drinking a wine and the oak and toast is all that you notice, it has likely been left in the barrel too long.

Select a wine aged in oak if you are a fan of buttery aromas and flavors. However, if you prefer your Chardonnays light crisp and unoaked (or if you are not a Chardonnnay fan right now, but want to grow into enjoying it) you will lean toward Chardonnnays that were partially aged in oak. Winemakers today are blending Chardonnay with other sweeter varietals such as Riesling or Muscat to add lighter fruit dimension and to satisfy the masses. The Chardonnays that we’ve had in our tastings that are blended with Riesling or Muscat are much more popular than the fully oaked Chardonnays. My feeling is if we are expanding one’s palette and helping them grow in appreciation of wines, fantastic!

Common aromas and flavors with Chardonnay are apple, butter, pineapple, vanilla, tropical fruit. (Mmmm, just writing those sounds delicious … I might have to open up a bottle of Chardonnnay later.) Pair this wine with fruits, grilled freshwater fish, buttery mashed potatoes, and I’ve had it with a fantastic recipe that I’ve added to my Recipes section for your culinary pleasure.

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Wine of the Day – Muscat

Jan 10

Posted by greatWineSource in Greece, Whites, Wine of the Day | 1 Comment

Wine of the Day for January 10, 2010

Muscat

Whenever we bring back a Muscat or a Moscato wine, I know it will be incredibly popular. Wines made from Muscat grapes are generally sweeter wines, and this grape is a primary component of Moscato d’Asti.

Muscat grape  

Muscat is considered to be one of the oldest varietals, dating back to early Greek and Roman writings, and is sold in markets as table grapes or raisins. There is good news for those of you who prefer to stay away from red wines … the Muscat grape has been found to have high concentrations of antioxidant flavonoids, so you may receive the same benefits from Muscat as you would from red wines.

Common flavors and aromas of Muscat include peach, pear, floral and citrus. You can pair a Muscat with light salads, fruits, soft cheeses or even spicy food (the sweetness will counterbalance the spice). I’ve also paired it with cheesecake before and it is fantastic! This wine is so delicate and light though, that you can savor and enjoy all on its own.

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Potato Wontons

Jan 5

Posted by greatWineSource in Recipes | 1 Comment

This delicious Asian dish will pair well with your lightly sweet, crisp Rieslings. Mmmmmm!

Enjoy!

Courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission

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Wine of the Day – Riesling

Jan 5

Posted by greatWineSource in Germany, Whites, Wine of the Day | 2 Comments

Wine of the Day for January 5, 2010

Riesling

Up until about 3 years ago when I became a wine consultant, Riesling was my favorite wine. (Now I enjoy ALL wines!!) They are light, range from dry to sweet, and I preferred the sweet when this varietal was a staple of my wine purchases.

Riesling grapesThere are a number of “classic” grape varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and others, all of which will be posted on my Wine of the Day, along with many others. Riesling is one of these “classic” grape varietals, and is believed to have originated in Germany, but now, this unpredictable grape is grown worldwide, and typically when grown in cooler climates results in fresh, crisp wines. Rieslings that have been subjected to noble rot result in very sweet, dessert style wines.

Common aromas and flavors with Riesling include honeysuckle, apple, pear and peach. Riesling is lovely with or without food and pairs well with Asian foods.

There are Rieslings on the market that one would consider flabby. They are sweet, but there is a lack of the fresh crispness that makes wine interesting and is a result of the wine’s acidity. In my opinion, a Riesling should be crisp; providing a much more lively dance on your tongue. So, regardless of whether you prefer a sweet or dry Riesling, if you want a party in your mouth (oh that sounds a bit racy!), be sure to select one that has balanced acidity for a mouth-watering crispness.

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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