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By The Glass Roberto Viernes |
Moderately priced gems
stir excitement, pleasureMany people assume that wine geeks like me only get excited about wines that are rare, aged and more than just a bit expensive. You know the wines: the Chateau Petrus, the Chambertins and the Montrachets of the world. Well, yes, I get excited about those wines, as would any wine lover. But I also get truly excited when I find wines that deliver far more pleasure than the money spent on them. These are the types of wines everyone can enjoy, not just the rich and privileged.
This month I've found quite a few jewels. I'll focus on the best three:
The first one is a German riesling. Let me stop right here and mention the fact that German riesling, probably more than any other wine, is misunderstood. The wines are difficult to pronounce. They range from bone dry to syrupy sweet. They are low in alcohol and are NOT red! But these same characteristics make riesling the best wine to pair with Hawaii Regional Cuisine and our local Asian-influenced food.
Name any fish dish, and I'll name at least three German rieslings that will match so well, your palate will have a party. I can't say that for any red wine. (OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.)
The jewel I've found is the 2003 Joseph Leitz Rudesheimer Drachentstein ($15), known as "Dragonstone" Riesling. It is just off-dry, not dessert sweet with a beautiful aroma of sweet white fruits, sensationally exuberant. It is oh so refreshing with layers of intense peach, pear and apple. The 2003 vintage in Germany is being touted as one of the greatest in 50 years, and this wine does not disappoint. Try it with sashimi and all the wasabi-soy sauce you can handle, a spicy tuna sushi or any curry.
Another one of my finds is the 2001 Chateau St. Martin Cuvee Tradition ($10) from the south of France. Made from a Rhone-like blend of syrah, grenache, carignan and cinsault, this bottle is stacked with ripe, spicy aromas of cherry and cassis. It has a nice, round texture and an aftertaste of sun-dried berries and tea. This is a wine that I drink at home. It's great with braised meats, beef stew, even grilled herb steak (I've tried all three combinations, more than once). Only 15 cases of this wine were imported for the entire state of Hawaii.
My third exciting wine is the 2002 Hill of Content Pinot Noir ($15) from South Australia. I had the opportunity to taste this wine with the winemaker and owner, John Larchet, at the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival on Maui. What a treat! This wine has all the fixings of a high-class California pinot noir without the price tag. It has the pure aroma of pinot, lush cherry and cranberries with a nice touch of vanilla oakiness. Its flavor is plump, smooth and velvety with a nice core of fruit on the mid-palate that sings when paired with roast duck or lamb loin. It's even elegant enough to go with grilled salmon.
If you've already had these wines, consider yourself a connoisseur. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? See if you find these jewels as exciting as I did.
Roberto Viernes is wine educator with Southern Wine & Spirits.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals. Write to features@starbulletin.com