Our first loves tend to linger, even if we seem to forget them. In my two decades of professional wining, I’ve had many favorites. German Riesling was one of my first, but I quickly graduated from sweet whites to the dark side of brooding reds. When you get past the second decade you tend to be more open to the entire panoply of wine choices, and Mosel Rieslings are always worth a revisit. These lower alcohol wines are surprisingly food friendly. I say surprising because not all sweet wines work with appetizers or a meal, but Mosel Rieslings do, and it’s all in the acid. Something about the chalky and mineral-laden soils brings out this precise clarity to Mosel Rieslings that cuts through fatty foods like a light saber, yet still elevates those dishes. One of my long-term favorite producers is Dr. H. Thanisch, and I just had the Berncasteler Doctor Mosel Riesling Kabinett 2012. I’m rethinking some classic pairing options with this lovely 8% Riesling, which will run you $30 per bottle.

Sofia Thanisch on her terrace

 At first whiff I get an explosion of tart fruits with just a hint of minerals. The nose opens up to pear, guava and kumquat with this lingering wet stone and talc earthiness that is not typical in sweeter wines. Sweet is unfair and too simple of a description, because you get residual sugar, since this is low alcohol, but there is always that zesty mineral bite that differentiates these Rieslings from domestic “Kool Aid” Rieslings. On the palate, I get Golden Delicious apples, with a pleasing ripe juiciness framed by some citrus notes. The final finish has more tart than sweet, giving this wine a surprising complexity with slight bitter pith as an endnote, almost like a mineral sustain. I perceive a slightly different wine every time I go back for a sniff and a sip, which peaks my interest, and keeps me involved.

Originally I would pair this wine with soft and creamy cheeses like Chaumes or Fromage d’Affinois, but now I might include a German smoked Bruder Basil or a salty Dutch Parrano for contrast and to see how the wine adapts and changes. This would lead one to pairing with creamy pasta dishes, working with fish or chicken or vegetarian options. Now I might be more apt to pair this wine with Asian foods, especially Thai, like a spicy sweet Panang Curry with peanuts and pepper spice. This is a Kabinett, or a first harvest Riesling, so not the real sweet stuff. Therefore I’d also pair it with Green Curry, which has an amazing herbal heat softened by coconut milk. When the food is spicy, a little sweet helps to balance the tongue, and the extra mineral bite to these Rieslings harmonizes with the subtler Asian spice flavors without masking them.

Mosel Riesling remains a light, refreshing treat on a warm spring or summer day, (or in Florida, a warm fall or winter day, too). Perhaps sitting on the patio, by the pool, or even by the bonfire on a cool winter evening. Stop by your local ABC and try one, or any of our other great Mosel Rieslings!

Cheers!

Daniel Eddy, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Northwest FL Wine Supervisor

Wine Pairing Examiner for Examiner.com