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Just pulled this cool looking bottle out of my fridge (the color on my iphone photo is a bit off – the bottle is actually a very vibrant blue).
Another Friday night and another German Riesling! This Carl Sittmann Riesling is pretty common in the US, and it’s pretty cheap. The 2011 vintage is only $9.99 at Gary’s Wine.
Sadly, the wine quality matches the price! It’s not bad, but not great either. There’s a faint floral smell with a sweetish taste. It’s not super sweet, but definitely not dry. The main problem is there’s just not much other taste…
My verdict? A cheap sweet swirl in the mouth is all you’ll get out of this one. It’s especially disappointing considering you could get a great Riesling for around $20 (e.g., Gunderloch). But if you’re looking for an easy-to-drink cheap sweet wine, then this is it!
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I was at Terroir Wine Bar last week with friends and asked the bartender for an off-dry Riesling like the Gunderloch I love so much. He recommended this Feinherb (which actually means “off-dry” i.e., a tiny bit sweet), which was delicious. It was a reasonably crisp wine with a delicious understated sweetness. The fruit wasn’t overpowering. Overall, very enjoyable easy drinking.
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Quick review of this very good vouvray we just opened yesterday.
Intro: Clos Naudin is one of the better-known estates in Vouvray. Like most wines from Vouvray, this wine is made from the Chenin Blanc grape. Wines from this region tend to be medium-bodied, medium sweetness, high acidity, and tend to display a range of fruit aromas along with a bit of minerality and "herbaceousness."
My Tasting: Unlike most Vouvrays, this Clos Naudin is "Sec", or dry, and has almost no residual sugar. It’s still medium-bodied and at least medium-plus (if not high) acidity. My mouth is still watering right now. The surprising point for me is that I get more stone fruit (apple and pear) on the nose than I would otherwise expect. I also get hints of minerality, a bit of citrus, and a small bit of apricot. Palate is similar to the nose and not disappointing. Length is medium.
Impression: Very good wine. There is a lot of complexity on the nose and palate, and I feel like the acidity, although fairly high, is not overpowering. There is no sugar to balance the acidity, so I think I’d like this wine even more with a food that would balance it out, perhaps something with a fair amount of oil or butter in it, or even a creamy pasta dish (pesto maybe?).
This wine can be found many places for $25-30, so it’s not on the low end of the scale, but for the quality and typicity (of a good, dry Vouvray), I think it’s an excellent value.
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I’m pretty sure I’ve had sherry before at Cambridge. In fact, I distinctly remember some friends driving over to Calais, France, and picking up a large bottle of sherry for 1 Euro. Needless to say, it had no label and was packaged in a clear plastic bottle. For some reason, it seemed just fine to drink during college!
Sherry is a fortified wine from Spain. It is made with certain white grapes that are usually grown near Jerez in Spain, which is why sherry is called vino de Jerez in Spanish. After the grapes have finished fermenting, the wine is fortified with brandy.
I had always envisioned sherry to be sweet, but it is actually commonly dry, although some sweet dessert wine versions are made (e.g., Pedro Ximenez).
I picked up this bottle (375ml) for just under $20 at Crush Wine & Spirits. It was actually recommended by Anthony, who works at the shop and who was very knowledgeable about sherry despite the fact that it’s rarely enjoyed in the States!
It smells rather nutty with hints of green apples and has faint smoky aroma. It tastes a bit like a white port (without the sugar). It’s mildly acidic, but very easy to drink. The flavor isn’t too strong (in fact, it tastes a bit watery even), but it lingers in your mouth very pleasantly. Let me reiterate that it is a dry wine, so there’s no sweet taste to it at all!
Overall – a thumbs up!
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