I have been pairing German rieslings with Asian-inspired foods for a long time. Slightly sweet, fruity, lower-alcohol wines wonderfully counter salty and spicy components, the same way a bite of cold apple or pineapple would.
Now, an increasing number of dry German wines are coming into the Hawaii market. These versions pair with a different profile of foods.
In both cases, the quality of the wine is terrific for the price.
Following the challenging vintage of 2011, wine aficionados are welcoming the top 2012 German wines with open arms. Many combine ripeness, structure and wonderful physiological maturity in the grapes.
Here are three highlights from a recent tasting:
» 2012 Hans Wirsching Scheurebe Dry ($17 to $20 a bottle): Scheurebe, a grape cross-created in 1916, has had its ups and downs in terms of the manner in which it has been grown and produced in both Germany and Austria.
There is no doubt that the best scheurebes typically come from Wirsching. In vintages such as 2012, the wonderful aromatics of scheurebe are vibrant with grapefruit, lime and lemongrass with underlying currant and mineral nuances.
This wine has a remarkable lightness on the palate and a rounder, more delicate acidity than most sauvignon blancs. Have fun pairing this with seafood and lighter fare.
» 2012 Gunderloch Riesling Dry "Estate" (about $20): Most tasters wouldn’t consider this wine dry, in part because it exudes so much tropical fruit in its aroma and taste.
But it is, in fact, probably drier than many popular California chardonnays on supermarket shelves.
In any case, this is a food-friendly white that’s ideal to serve with seared or grilled fish or shellfish.
» 2012 Rudolf Furst Spatburgunder "Tradition" ($30 to $35): It wasn’t so long ago that Germany had difficulty producing red wine, due in large part to marginal weather and growing conditions. With the warming of the world climate, however, we are seeing more red wine coming out of the country.
By far, the top producer of pinot noir, or spatburgunder, as it’s called in Germany, is Paul Furst of the Franconia region. This wine displays Furst’s skill with its amazing lightness, femininity and refinement. It is a wonderful example of purity and finesse and well worth seeking out.
