Riesling--A 2% Difference (And Some Random Thoughts To Boot)

I know I'm behind on local coverage as well as funny stuff and political postings. Between school, teaching, and the never-ending expansion of licensing and classes before I become a full fledged mortgage lender under Federal guidelines, time has been short.

But I promise to return.

First, we may or may not have a new Mayor in Nags Head. And the race in Southern Shores is equally interesting. (BTW, I am a big fan of Brian McDonald, if you live in SS, keep him there!)

Next, my old "buddy" Ray Midgett now has his own blog. It seems to be focused on Ray's usual areas of interest--no beach nourishment of any kind and a hawkish view on local government spending, so I expect to be a yo-yo in support and apoplexy regarding his posts.

We also have two new coffee venues in Nags Head set to open in November; the first a completely new store; the second a relocation/expansion of an old favorite. As soon as I find some time, we'll be there.

Lastly, I have some photos of my participation in the Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament, and next week I'll be joining the team for the Cape Hatteras Angler's "Big Hatteras" Tourney. Nothing cooler than two nights at the Falcon Inn!

In the interim, a little wine break.

Riesling is a cool white wine. Mostly, it hails from Germany, the Alsace region of France, Austria, and in the United States, the Great Northwest. One can also find Riesling in Australia and New Zealand.

A well made Riesling can be easily identified by aroma alone. Its flowery, perfume-like scent is unique. Riesling comes in four versions; dry (not sweet), semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling. Of the first three, one can determine the sweetness by the alcohol content. If alcohol runs more than 12%, the wine will be dry, and since Riesling is very acidic, it will also be bracing. Between 10% and 12% alcohol, you will find the semi-sweet version, or "off dry". Below that level the wine is very sweet, which means it is high in sugar content. A 9% Riesling is such an example. If the grapes have been allowed to be "infected" by botrytis (known as "noble rot") the wine will be so sweet it is typically offered as a dessert wine and sold in small, expensive 375 ml bottles.

I prefer the bone dry Rieslings, my wife the semi and sweet versions. The cool thing about this is that because of the high acidity, even a semi-sweet Riesling can stand up to spicy foods such as Thai or sushi served up with Wasabi. Thus, my wife and I alternate between the dry and off-dry versions.

If you are one of those people who think wine tasters are snobs or believe you cannot really discern the differences in wine, even if constructed from the same grape varietal, the above will allow a test that can be conducted for less than $30 total. Both wines are available at any national chain grocery store.

The wine on the left is a 2006 Washington Hills Riesling from the state of Washington. It weighs in at 11% alcohol content, making it an off-dry (semi-sweet) version. The wine on the right is a 2006 Babich Riesling. Its alcohol content is 13%, making it very dry.

I am willing to bet if any of my readers buy these two wines and taste them side-by-side, they will easily detect the difference between a dry and off-dry white. And, with a little swirling and sniffing of the glass, I suspect you will note the unique scent of Riesling, especially in the Washington Hills 11% version.

Of more interest, pair them both with something spicy, like Thai food. Even though one's intuition dictates that a semi-sweet wine would be cut down by the spices, you will find that both versions can stand up to Thai cuisine. The reasons? Riesling is still acidic, even when sweet. And, Thai food is built upon the presentation of sweet and sour flavors in contrast. A dry Riesling will cleanse the palate of the spice, a semi-sweet Riesling compliments and offsets the sour and hotness that is Thai food. In a perplexing puzzle, both work equally well with Thai food and even better with sushi if one prefers generous amounts of wasabi.

If you want to carry the experiment further, invite a group of friends, go to your local wine store, and ask for a creamy, oaky Chrardonnay. You'll see almost immediately that the oaky Chards will be washed out by the Thai flavors. Try that same Chard with creamy bisque and it will fit right in!

And to my friend Kathy who thinks this wine silliness is, well, silly, give this experiment shot!