Terry Theise on his love affair with Riesling

I've used Spatlese a couple of times recently as aperitifs, matched with food that offers either fat content (like foie gras - the acidity in the win works off that) or some spice (the RS works off that). If II ever find my menus I'll be more specific!

As the others pointed out, though, there are vintages and then there are ripe vintages, and you can't consider a 2006 with a 'normal' vintage. I have some Alsatians that are also much sweeter than you'd expect; you just have to learn which are like that and then use them suitably.

Without food, before dinner, I'd more often than not opt for a Kabinett.

Obviously I must now remember to serve Rieslings when you come over, Jenise! Others among our lunch companions also collect Rieslings, but you'd never know that either as they normally bring a Chard when they bring white.

This thread is so/so out of contact w/ reality. Nowhere, that I can find, as anybody brought up the fact that Riesling displays terroir better than any other grape. C'mon, folks....I expected much better from you all. We do know that to be a fact, don't we??? Can anyone...please...'splain to me why Riesling displays terroir better than any other grape variety?? I've asked this question before.
Oh.....wait....it's PinotNoir....errrr...Nebbiolo...uhhhh....Chard that displays terroir more transparently than any other grape...so we've been told.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

Tom, Tom, Tom,

Of course it's Riesling. I have decreed it to be so.

Drops mic, walks off stage...

[Jenise]

Exactly. 2006 was bizarre in terms of ripeness...even the 2006 Prums are huge, dessert style wines, and Prum is a defender of tradition.

Until I read this thread I wasn't aware of this about 2006. Hopefully this Fritz Haag is the only 06 I have. I'm not sure, my inventory isn't reliable as I tend not to list whites, but if they're ageable I (usually) do. The Prums are 04's.

I noted that I have no more Austrian Rieslings--that tells you something I didn't even consciously realize myself, that I prefer them.

The last and only recent occasion on which I served Spatleses was for the Sriracha tasting that was a pre-dinner event at an Asian dinner I did last summer--and of course, they were perfect for that. I served drier wines with the meal.

[David M. Bueker]

2004 Prum is much more elegant set of wines.

[Jenise]

2004 Prum is much more elegant set of wines.

Yes, I know. At least, based on that which I have, and I understood Prum well enough to buy them in the first place. Unlike the rest, which is why I selected one of the unknowns last night.

[David M. Bueker]

Well even for Prum 2004 is elegant - that's more what I meant.

[Jenise]

So yesterday, on different missions, I went to the three best wine stores in town. Which are more or less the three only wine stores in town, but hey. While there I queried them on dry Rieslings. The Coop had two 'pretty dry' Washington versions but none from Europe, Seifert had one (besides a few Kabinetts) however it was from Austria (Peter Jakob Kuhn 'Trocken', $21, I bought it) and the Old World Deli had none. All had some nice Gruners. In fact the Coop has some Pichlers he picked up on a distributor close-out and has on the shelf at $20 that would otherwise have been $30 or more and I must go back for some.

Anyway, that bears out my impressions about what's locally available as related to y'all here. So...so there!

[David M. Bueker]

You need to move.

This is about as good as it gets, locally.

http://www.marquis-wines.com/riesling/# ... any&page=1

[Jenise]

This is about as good as it gets, locally.

http://www.marquis-wines.com/riesling/# ... any&page=1

And that's not much, actually. I did see more German Rieslings than I mentioned above, but my hunt was for the specifically 'dry' versions and none you show, but for the Gunderloch, are those, and even that's on the lighter 'fun' end of things vs. the serious and dry types mentioned in the VDP article you provided the link for (and thank you for that).

The other (and better) source, which was 'down' when I posted the Marquis info, is here:

http://www.everythingwineandmore.ca/ind ... 860E301EDE

I should avoid bottles like this, however......

[Jenise]

Gee, ya think?

Everything Wine's impressive, I've shopped at their Surrey store many times, especially with 70 cent dollars, the value's often comparable to home. Looks like they have a good selection, especially if you ignore contributions from my country like Charles Smith's Kung Fu Girl [grimace].

But Donnhoff. And some serious dry versions. Maybe I need to put together a dry riesling tasting to update myself on the possibilities.

Let me know if you want to do that and we could get 4 - 6 people to chip in and share cost and taste!

Might even be able to offer the venue if we wait a couple of weeks!

[Jenise]

I'd love to do that. Could even do it here--would be happy to prepare a big choucroute garnie. But I'm guessing you're busy 24/7 until you get moved.

Yeah - moving in two 'tranches' the week of the 7th, or three if you count the wine cellar. And then there is the garden and the garage and.....

But if you could postpone gratification until April, we could do it here in the virgin kitchen (and you could tell me how I should have put the fridge where the dishwasher went and....)

[David M. Bueker]

If you wait until April I could send you some party favors.

[Jenise]

If you wait until April I could send you some party favors.

Okay.

Love the discussion! I won't argue with those who don't appreciate Riesling; that just means more for the rest of us!

I'm such a fan of every style of Riesling, in the right context. I find it to be one of, if not the most versatile food pairing wines, period. Where so many other pairings are just "meh", Riesling sings.

I'm super excited to dive even deeper into Riesling-land, as I'm headed to VieVinum in Vienna this June!

[Jenise]

Love the discussion! I won't argue with those who don't appreciate Riesling; that just means more for the rest of us!

I'm such a fan of every style of Riesling, in the right context. I find it to be one of, if not the most versatile food pairing wines, period. Where so many other pairings are just "meh", Riesling sings.

I'm super excited to dive even deeper into Riesling-land, as I'm headed to VieVinum in Vienna this June!

I actually do appreciate Riesling; I just don't find it to be the undisputable king of white grapes. BUT HEY, speaking of Riesling, which is one of the parents of Mueller Thurgau, I had a DELIGHTFUL 2014 Oregon Mueller Thurgau last night from winery Anne Amie from estate vineyards planted by the former owner in 1979. I know the grape doesn't get much respect from the cognoscenti, but this version is worthy of attention.

[David M. Bueker]

If you wait until April I could send you some party favors.

Okay.

I need the computer parts shipper.

[David M. Bueker]

Muller Thurgau does lovely things in Franconia.

Muller Thurgau does lovely things in Franconia.

And especially if you like goat's testicles.....(translate bocksbeutel some time).

Or you may consider this the absolute Wurtz kind if humour.


(Sorry for the baden pun)

PS - one of the most surprising German wines I have tasted was a Spatburgunder (pinot Noir) Eiswein.
With zero expectation for it, I must admit that it was Ahr right (pun intended but it really was good!)

[David M. Bueker]

Goat scrota