Swill or Swell: Episode 26

Emma Reichert Riesling

watch the episode here

Welcome to Swill or Swell, a weekly series where I taste grocery store wines and let you know if they’re worth the buck or just meant for the drain! 

CAVEAT! As you read this, please keep in mind that wine is subjective! This means that everyone enjoys different things and something I like might not be something you like and vice versa. I’ll be as objective as I can with facts about the wine’s quality, but in the end if your opinion differs from mine...that’s perfectly fine! Wine is only worth drinking if YOU like drinking it!

LET’S INTRODUCE THE WINE

Today I’ll be tasting the Emma Reichart Riesling from Germany. I purchased this from Total Wine for $5.99. It immediately caught my eye because I’ve actually tried the rosé version of this wine in the past and really enjoyed it! I’m curious to see if I’ll be equally impressed with the white.

EMMA REICHERT RIESLING FUN FACTS

Let’s start by talking about the Riesling grape.

• This is an aromatic white grape varietal consisting of flowery, almost perfumed aromas.
  
• The grape originated in the Rhine region of Germany.
  
• It tends to be high in acidity, and typically very food friendly for this reason.
  
• Riesling is known for being “very sweet”, but it actually ranges in sweetness!

Now let’s talk about the birthplace of this wine, Germany.

• This is a cooler climate region.
  
• It’s best known for Riesling, but also produces phenomenal Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and other varietals.
  
• Wine labels from here tend to be a little intimidating, but there’s actually a system behind the madness called the The Prädikat System. Each style of German wine falls under a category in the system. Here are three examples of the categories:

1. Kabinett - least ripe grapes, leading to typically dryer style wines
2. Spätlese - left on the vine a bit longer, typically a bit sweeter or richer
3. Auslese - even riper grapes yet, more honeyed and bold

WINE TASTING NOTES

Look: Very light, almost clear.
Smell: I immediately get apricot, honeysuckle, citrus, minerality, and green apple.
Taste: I’m getting medium+ acidity, dry, light bodied, with low alcohol.
Think:
Food Pairing - I immediately think Thai food. That mix of sweet, salty, spicy and sour would be perfect.
Occasion - This would be a great wine for Thai takeout when you’re not doing anything special and you don’t want to cook or think too hard about your meal.
Rating -  I give this a swell! For the price, I am pleasantly (and happily) surprised.

Want to learn more? Check out my Instagram every Thursday at 5PM PST for a new episode of Swill or Swell! Have a wine you’d like me to taste? Write your request in the comments below or send me a message on Instagram!

Cheers!