skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Price: $11-12 @ Spagio Cellars, Columbus, OH (we think)
Recommended by: in-store tasting
Comments: Considering the cost, this is a very nice wine. We've learned from our friends at Wine-O-Rama to keep our eyes open for German Rieslings, particularly those from the Rheingau region. This one isn't from that specific region (it's from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, the other major Riesling-producing region), but it is very tasty. We particularly liked how dry it was and how nicely it accompanied the salmon we had for dinner. Flavors of peach dominate the palate along with flowers and mineral notes. We would definitely have this one again, particularly with any fish dish.
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $10.99 @ Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: We've loved everything we've tasted from this winery.
Comments: We just got back from a wonderful week-long vacation in Colorado, and after a long, tiring day of traveling we enjoyed some sushi and this great find from our friends at Chateau Ste. Michelle. We are fans of dry Rieslings (especially Kabinetts), and this one is wonderful. We tasted lime and peach -- a crisp and refreshing summer wine. We found it very similar to CSM's Gewurztraminer, which is probably our favorite domestic Gewurz. The two wines differ in that the Gewurz has a bit more spice to it, and the dry riesling has a bit more citrus taste. However, they both rock!
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $12.99 @ Wine shop near Charles/MGH
Recommended by: Wine shop employee
Comments: We typically drink (and love) the Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough region of New Zealand and, oddly enough, this Riesling bears noticable traits of that grape. This wine is crisp, steely, and grassy, exactly as we have grown to expect of the wonderful Sauvignon Blancs of this region. Indeed, I'm not sure I can identify a single aspect of this wine that suggests it is a Riesling! Perhaps one can attribute this to the unique attributes of the terroir from which this grape is taken or perhaps one would attribute this to the fact that I am blogging about it after having consumed most of the bottle by myself (Karie being away with the family). Either way, this is a wine to enjoy with sushi (as I just did) or with spicy foods that similarly highlight the wine's strengths. I personally look forward to getting Karie's more balanced opinion when we share a bottle after she returns. Cheers!
Rating: 7/10
Price: $10.99 @ Wine and Cheese Cask (Somerville, MA)
Recommended by: Our wine blogger friends at Wine-O-Rama recommended Rieslings from the Rheingau region.
Comments: In fairness to the folks at Wine-O-Rama, they recommended Rieslings from the Rheingau region that were over $13. However, this less expensive wine is surprisingly good, particularly for the money. Our first sips revealed flavors of apricot. As we drank it, however, flavors of green apple and lime dominated. It's not too sweet, but it is definitely a Riesling. This wine probably goes great with spicy food, but we're just pairing it with a bad movie on a relaxing Sunday evening!
Rating: 7/10
Price: $6.99 at Blanchard's
Recommended by: On sale!
Comments: For the price, this wine is pretty good. It is a bit sweet, but not cloying, with flavors dominated by green apple, lemon, and lime. It is not a complex wine, but its flavors last longer than we expected at this price. Also, it finishes with a steely cleaness that is quite nice.
Rating: 6/10
Price: $8.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: Loosen's reputation
Comments: This riesling is a really nice everyday German wine. We were surprised by the fruitiness, with hints of pear, lime, and lemon, and a really nice, zippy, sweet finish. For the price, you cannot go wrong; plus, it's really easy to find since it's one of the more popular affordable rieslings.
Rating: 6.5/10
Price: $8.99 @ Wine Gallery
Tasting notes: When we opened the bottle, we thought the wine might be skunky. It certainly has a peculiar, metallic smell. However, the taste was very nice, and the smell seemed to get better as we drank it. It has a sort of pineapple, green apple flavor with a nice acidity. It is not too sweet nor too dry, with a steely crispness. We really enjoyed it with our cioppino seafood dish.
Rating: 6/10
Price: $11.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: We've loved the Wolf Blass shirazes (both Yellow and Gold Label), so we assumed the riesling would be great, too.
Tasting notes: We were shocked that this wine was not better. It's not terrible, but it has very little to recommend it. It is relatively flat, not sweet, with tastes of lime and lemon. Considering the price, we are not likely to get this wine again. There are much better, lesser expensive rieslings out there.
Rating: 4/10
Price: $11-12 @ Spagio Cellars, Columbus, OH (we think)
