Originally published on April 20, 2009.
Wine geeks love Riesling. Perhaps because this grape reflects the specific site it’s from in a way that drives wine geeks crazy with wine geek glee.
But you don’t have to be a wine geek to enjoy a good Riesling. At Frankly Wines, we’ve put together a 3-Pack to introduce you to three from around the world. And because we don’t want fear of sweetness to scare anyone off, there’s not a sweet one in the bunch. All three are dry, dry, dry.
Van Voxlem Saar Riesling 2007 (Mosel, Germany): Heir to a massive beer-related fortune, Roman Niewodniczanski takes a “no expense spared” approach to his wines. He tracks down and purchases fabulously old vineyard sites that have been neglected and brings them back to their former glory. His single vineyard wines show all the complexity, concentration, and site-specific nuance that drive Riesling lovers mad. This bottle, from fruit sourced throughout the Saar shows off stunning minerality, bracing acidity, and notes of citrus and green apples. It’s one of those wines that is even better on the third day than the first, so drink it slowly, if you can! And if you don’t find this one dry enough, you may want to consider drinking sand with you next meal.
Torlesse Riesling 2007 (Waipara, New Zealand): NZ Rieslings may not be as well-known as Sauvignon Blanc, so consider it your little secret. Cool temperatures + dazzling sunlight result in a wine with zippy acidity, stony minerality and a bright, focused note of refreshing lime. This one, like many from NZ (and Australia) show an early hint of petrol character that German Rieslings tend to only get with age. Yes, petrol, oil, kerosene…just a touch of it is considered a good thing.
Ravines Dry Riesling 2007 (Finger Lakes, New York): A little bit closer to home – the Finger Lakes. Riesling likes a cool climate and it’s definitely cool up there. This one is the most floral of the bunch, with lime and mineral notes to spare. If you think Finger Lakes = sweet, this Riesling should change your mind.
PRICING: $49.99 (regular price $54.97).