Happy Sweet September!
As harvest begins, we are celebrating the changing of the seasons with a glass of sweet wine. In our cool climate, that means the “world’s most noble grape” otherwise known as Riesling!
We hear a lot of opinions sweet wines, the stereotype is that they’re most popular among people new to wine, but we know better: Riesling is for everyone! And it’s especially popular among wine-professionals. The key is in the balance. No one wants a wine to be cloyingly sweet. Crafting a Riesling is an art that begins in the vineyard with carefully monitoring the sweetness, acidity and pH of the grapes as they ripen. We harvest on exactly the right day for the style of wine we are creating, and Adam and Heather take it from there with gentle winemaking and a slow, cool fermentation.
Another key to enjoying Riesling? Knowing how sweet a wine is before you open the bottle. It’s disappointing to think you have a sweet wine to accompany a spicy meal only to find it dry. It’s equally sad to open a bottle you’re hoping to pair with a goat cheese salad only to find the sweetness overwhelms the dish. That’s why we’ve joined with winemakers worldwide and have adopted the International Riesling Foundation Scale. It’s a system for predicting the average perceived sweetness of a wine based not only on sugar content, which is notoriously misleading, but that also takes into account the acidity and pH of the wine. So next time you’re shopping for a Riesling, check out the back of the bottle and look for the IRF scale.
Here is how our wines stack up on the IRF scale:
For a limited time, we have a special on our “Sweet Three” wines check it out here. And below you’ll find more about Riesling:
MEET THE WORLD’S MOST NOBLE GRAPE
Dry, medium dry, medium sweet or sweet? Riesling comes in such a wide range of styles, it helps to have a guide!
The IRF Riesling Taste Profile
The International Riesling Foundation developed the Riesling Taste Profile, an easy-to-read indicator of where a wine fits on the dry-to-sweet scale.
Based on IRF guidelines for the interplay of sugar, acid and pH, winemakers calculate where to place the arrow on the profile for use on the back label to help consumers choose the Riesling that best matches their taste.
Why Do We Love Riesling?
Originating in Germany hundreds of years ago, Riesling today is grown in regions around the globe and is one of the world’s fastest growing varieties. It’s easy to see why. A favorite of chefs, sommeliers and wine professionals everywhere, it is aromatic, food-friendly and filled with personality. In all the world, no other wine so deftly reflects its soil and region.
Here are just a few reasons to love Riesling:
Versatile — Riesling comes in a mouthwatering array of flavor profiles. From dry to medium dry to medium sweet to sweet, Riesling offers a pleasing taste for every palate.
Food friendly — Riesling is the ultimate food-pairing wine, with options for every cuisine. Dry Rieslings are well suited to shellfish and classic preparations of fish, pork and poultry as well as cream sauces. Medium dry Rieslings are terrific with spicy Asian/fusion cuisine, smoked fish and salty cheeses. Medium sweet Rieslings pair beautifully with rich, spicy Indian dishes or dishes featuring fresh fruits. Sweet Rieslings are wonderful with salty blue cheeses, fruit desserts and foie gras.
Evocative — More than any other grape, Riesling takes on the character of the soil and climate where it is grown. Some will say it does so almost down to individual vines!
Easy sipping — Medium dry and medium sweet Rieslings have lower alcohol levels than other wines. When combined with well-balanced acidity, that makes them perfect for sipping in hot weather and for serving at parties in all seasons.
Fine aging — Many fine Rieslings will cellar beautifully and for much longer than other wines. They only grow more concentrated and complex with age.
Whether you are new to Riesling or already an affirmed fan of the noble grape, we encourage you to explore different Rieslings in different flavor profiles from a variety of regions around the globe. You will find options to keep you happily exploring for a lifetime!
Source: The International Riesling Foundation, http://drinkriesling.com
