Some of you may know, and for those that don't, my hubby has successfully completed his advanced wine studies with the WSET (Wine Spirits Education Trust) and can now be deemed a Sommelier.. what does that mean exactly.. well.. to him it means that he has tasted over 2000 different wines, explored how to drink it, taste it, look at it, and what kind of food to it with it.... what does it mean to me... Well.... some good and some bad... I get to learn about the wines he tries, I get a free wine lesson at least once per week, we always.. and I mean always.... have good wine... so what's the bad you ask? It is simply this... I don't get to try over 2000 wines! :-)
Why should I tell you about my torturous wine life... I thought someone should hear about it... like the time that he had his Champagne class and tried, I don't even know how many different types of Champagne.. yes .. real Champagne, or the time when after the French Burgundy class they all sat and ate cheese, ham, crackers and pate... and of course drank the rest of the wine.. there was even a Gevrey Chambertin on the table.... its torturous I tell you!
But instead of whining........... I thought it might be a good idea to vent my experiences here... after completing the advanced program he has decided to move on to become a French Wine Scholar.. don't laugh.. its real a designation... and so while we move through France together I thought you might enjoy some of the moments.... which I will endeavor to describe here.. and I hope you enjoy………
The first stop was in Alsace, where? Its in north eastern France across the Rhine river from Germany… so you might guess the speciality - Riesling… some highlights of what was being tasted.. a 2000 Grand Cru Riesling and a Grand Cru Pinot Gris. Riesling is a grape variety, as a matter of fact its one of the only non indigenous grapes grown in France, considered a "nobel" (this will be handy in later posts!) variety, it originated in Germany. Pinot Gris is the second most common variety in Alsace, you may know it as Pinot Grigio, it is the same grape although don't be fooled; it tastes very different, in Alsace the grape stays on the vine longer giving it a thicker more bold flavour.
What makes a good Riesling? Fruity floral aromas of peach, apricot and citrus.. but what distinguishes it are hints of Petrol when aged… yeah.. I know.. Petrol.. What? Well actually its one of my favourite flavours and one of my favorite white wines for that exact reason… if you find a nice Riesling it can have so much wonderful flavour.. if you think white wines don't have depth.. try a Riesling!
Your first tip of the blog…..Most people think sweet when they think Riesling..however the Alsace region produces whites that are less so, more "off dry" Rieslings come from Germany. Tip to figure out what's off dry.. and what's not… look at the alcohol content, rule of thumb is the higher the alcohol the drier the wine. So experiment, I like 8 to 9 % - which for some people would be way too "sweet", where 11% might suit them better.
Don't be afraid to pick up a Riesling, but look for this when you do….
- remember the alcohol content… and experiment.. for me :-)
- Alsace can be more expensive but you don't have to pay more than $25 for a good bottle
- Germany is my favourite.. but remember they tend to be sweeter
- Vintages to look for in Alsace.. 2007 to 2010 inclusive; are all excellent vintages
- Serve at 8 to 10 degrees
- Pairs excellently with German, French and Asian foods but really goes well with pork
Till next time…..Happy chatting.. and sipping
