Parties by the pool. Dining under patio umbrellas. Casual gatherings with friends and family. Like summer dining, summer wines should be casual, flavorful and fun. When the weather turns hot, I often crave lighter meals, which I like to pair with lighter wines.
One of my favorite varietals for summer is Riesling, which is rightly experiencing renewed popularity. The best Rieslings are wonderfully expressive, and embody summer — delicately floral, peach and apricot fruit flavors on the palate and a slight minerality that cleanses the palate and makes you want to take another sip. Delicious on its own, Riesling shines when paired with a wide variety of foods.
Riesling, because of its cool climate origins, is crisp and zippy, which balances its slight sweetness, cutting through the heat of a summer day and waking up the palate. One of the reasons it’s so refreshing is that it has a lower alcohol content, only about 8 to 11 percent as opposed to 14 or 15 percent for full-bodied wines from warmer climates.
Germany is the homeland of Rieslings and I especially like the ones from the renowned Mosel region. The wines are full of character, charming and irresistible.
Get rid of any preconceptions you may have that Riesling is overly sweet. Now is your chance to discover why it’s once again the darling among wine aficionados. A hundred years ago, German Riesling was the most expensive wine in the world, selling for three times that of Château Latour on European menus. Today, lucky for us, Riesling is considered one of the great wine values in the world.
The following two Rieslings are part of the Fleming’s 100TM collection, and are available by the glass at all locations. Take a sip and soak in the magic of summer.
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Loosen Bros. Mosel Dr. L Germany, 2007
Elegant and racy, aromas of flowers, lime, nectarine and peaches burst forward in the nose, making way for sumptuous peach and melon on the palate. This wine is wonderful with light and spicy dishes. |
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Zilliken, Mosel Butterfly Germany, 2007
A lovely nose of peach and apricot introduces flavors of citrus and minerality. Stone fruit flavors turn into an apple-spiked finish that lingers in your mouth and tickles the tongue. The mineral notes make it a great accompaniment to seafood. |
Try one of these white wines next time you visit Fleming’s and let me know what you think at MarianOnWine at Twitter.com.