Medium lemon colored, this rather young Riesling has pronounced aromas of citrus, apple, pineapple, ginger and acacia.  The palate is dry (at 13% ABV that was an obvious assumption) with bracing acidity and a medium body.  Lemon, grapefruit, green apple, pineapple and some spice coat my palate to a medium length finish that is jaw watering.  This is a very refreshing thirst quencher that I am enjoying immensely.  Tonight’s pairing is fish and chips so this will work out quite well.  I would think this wine can age for a few years, say till 2030 and hopefully pick up some tertiary notes.  91 points from me makes this $22 bottle a 5 star quaffer to look for.  Salut….

The thing that annoys me about Riesling is that most labels don’t tell you if it’s going to be dry, off-dry or sweet.  Deductive reasoning tells me this bottle is going to be dry due to it’s 13.5% ABV.  A very pretty medium lemon color in the glass with pronounced aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit pith, petrol, geranium and ripe pear.  It tastes dry as expected with very high acidity and a delicious cut of lemon/grapefruit.  The ripe pear note is more a green pear note on the palate but I do get florals and petrol.  I can sense the alcohol if I breath out through my nose, which is unusual for me as my threshold is pretty high to sense the burn.  I would say this wine is medium bodied and it has a juicy, tart finish that is medium in length.  It begs for Asian dishes or a grilled seafood platter.  I like it but think it will develop over time.  Right now it is really zesty with just a few primary flavors.  It should flesh out and develop with time as it has great structure for cellaring.  92 points from me for this $60 bottle makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

It’s Valentine’s Day and we are steaming up some Lobster tails with drawn butter and baked potatoes.  Need I say more?  A Riesling is about as perfect a pairing for that combo as I can imagine.  This one happens to be a Grand Cru that was recommended to me by a wine-drinking friend.

It is pale gold in the glass.  The nose has pronounced aromas of lemon zest, tangerine, lime cordial, honeysuckle, jasmine, quince and white peach- mesmerizing.  The palate is dry with bracing acidity, medium (+) body, long finish and generous mouthfeel.  The palate is chock full of citrus and florals with some white peach and ginger. The acidity is immense on the back end where the fruit flavors manage to survive the onslaught.  This wine begs for the butter I am about to throw at it, it is so crisp.  Delicious now, this one will last a long time in the cellar and hopefully develop tertiary notes that good Rieslings are known for- I feel like I committed wine infanticide.  92 points from me for this $50 treat makes it a 5 star wine.  Salut….

This Alsatian Riesling is a deep shade of gold in the glass.  The nose is exquisite- tropical fruits, citrus, hints of petrol and a touch of minerality.  The aromas are very precise and clean.  The palate is dry but it has a sweetness from the tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, mango, kiwi and persimmon.  Grapefruit, lemons and tangerine round out the citrus notes and the petrol is but a faint memory.  This wine has great acidity that lurks, keeping the wine fresh yet not cutting.  I like the way the fruit flavors are layered, showing good complexity whilst the acidity is barely noticeable until the back end, where I find my jaw watering.  This is a very refreshing wine with depth that will cellar nicely yet provides immediate satisfaction.  I’m sizzling up some shrimp with garlic and asparagus on a bed of Fettuccine.  Yum.  93 points, and for $40 it’s a steal that got 96 points from the pros.  5 Stars.  Salut….

Deep lemon color, bordering on gold this dry Riesling has got 5 years of bottle age and I’m looking forward to some tertiary notes.  On the nose I get ripe, tropical fruit- passion fruit, pineapple and honeysuckle.  Tertiary notes of orange marmalade and orange peel, honey and the aging hints of ginger and toast.  Th palate is delicious.  As mentioned, it is a dry wine that has no residual sugar, as is made obvious by the 13% ABV which gives this wine some nice body.  Good acidity is held in check by the weight of the fruit and I taste all the above plus chamomile tea.  Oh my, this is a scrumptious wine that is only just starting its journey.  I was hoping for that telltale petrol note, but alas , this wine is still young for a Grand Cru Riesling.  That note will probably take another 5 years to appear.  The finish is long and honeyed.  This is good stuff that will drink nicely till 2036.  I’m pairing it with shrimp and salad.  94 points from me for this $60 wine makes it a 5 star wine, glad I bought a few.  Salut….

Quite pale yellow in the glass with fine grained legs belying it’s 13% alcohol. On the nose I get lemon zest, minerality and slate.  I’m expecting a cutting wine versus a sweet version of this varietal.  On the palate I was wrong, it’s not tart, bracing or edgy.  It has a warmth that surrounds yellow apples with lemon curd.  The acidity is well in check but still obviously present.  There’s a raw lemon component that appears on the midpalate and there is a nuttiness too.  The mouthfeel transitions to a racier version with some nice honeyed notes on the mid-length finish.  Very tasty and flexible, this one is going to pair nicely with my blackened salmon.  Drink till 2030.  90 points and 4 stars for this $25 effort.  (The pro’s went way higher BTW).  Salut….

Very pale yellow, probably the lightest colored wine I have ever seen.  The nose has pineapple, quince, peach and nectarines.  On the palate it is enticing- mainly peaches to begin with.  There’s a petroleum note that typifies the varietal alongside some yellow apples.  Super tasty mind you, with some focused acidity to keep things sharp. The midpalate has some enjoyable flab, a weightiness that fills the mouth and adds to the body.  The finish gets all serious with some flinty minerality, a resurgence of the apple theme as well as the nectarines and is medium in length and smooth.  Overall this is a terrific wine that gets 92 points from me.  Drink till 2025.  $45 is rather steep, but this one’s a keeper that gets 4 stars.  Salut….