By The Glass
RANDY CHING
I recently returned from a trip to the mainland where I had a fascinating experience involving German Riesling. Light-bodied Rieslings
suit island cuisineI was waiting for a friend at a hip bar in a very upscale hotel when two women sat next to me and ordered a couple of glasses of white Zinfandel. I was surprised when the bartender said, "We don't serve white Zinfandel; would you like to try a glass of German Riesling?"
German Riesling, I thought? Although all grapes, including Riesling, can be produced to be dry, medium-dry, medium sweet, sweet and dessert style, the Riesling served to the two ladies was slightly sweet. They enjoyed it so much they even ordered another glass each.
On the plane trip back I thought, do we have to boycott one thing to get people to try other things?
Usually I have found that when you mention Riesling to someone, the reply is, "I don't like sweet wine." But remember, Riesling can be vinified in many different styles, from sweet to bone-dry. True, most Rieslings we see are sweet, with residual sugar, but I look for those that have great balance. The initial attack may be sweet, but at mid-palate the sugar tapers off and this zingy green apple acidity turns on and the wine actually finishes dry.
Such slightly sweet, precisely balanced, incredibly light-bodied wines are especially suited to our island foods. The dynamic crossing of cultures here has given Hawaii its own contemporary cuisine. We readily see Asian influences of lemongrass, black bean, ginger, anise, curries (and the list goes on) incorporated into our foods through cooking techniques from all over the world. And given our beautiful warm weather, we are in the perfect climate to be drinking Riesling.
The example that immediately comes to mind are the Zilliken Reislings (about $18). Hanno Zilliken is one of the world's great winemakers. His vineyards are located in the extremely cool growing region of Germany called the Saar River, where he produces small amounts of wine every year. When it comes to making Riesling, Germany is the king. It is here you will find the quality and truly understand how noble this grape can be.
This is the ideal wine for the white Zinfandel drinker to try, along with those looking for an appropriate wine to serve with spicy, salty or sweet Asian-influenced foods, from Chinese to Thai to Euro-Asian.
As a contrast, I would also recommend Bonny Doon's Pacific Rim Riesling (about $13). This highly innovative blend of Monterey, Washington and German grapes is bone-dry, yet incredibly food-friendly, again well-suited to our island fare. I am continually amazed at how diverse this wine is with food.
At the Halekulani, we believe so strongly in the world-class potential of Reisling that we made it one of the four "Designer Wines" produced exclusively for the hotel. Our Reisling, which we label "Cuvee Joy," is produced by the highly revered Graacher Domprobst Vineyard along the Mosel River in Germany. I just love this wine. It's all about purity -- wonderfully perfumed, balanced and very elegant.
It's a perfect match for the Madras Seafood Curry served at Orchids -- shrimp, scallops and white fish with a curry sauce blended with apples, served atop a bed of Jasmine rice and pineapple chutney.
Randy Ching is wine manager for the Halekulani. "By the Glass" is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of industry professionals.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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