Reisling

Review: 2012 Wolff Vineyards Dry Riesling

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When I think riesling, I think flowers, apricot, honey and sweet, sweet, sweet.

Not this one.

Wolff Vineyards’ riesling is made in the Alsatian-style, which leads to a drier, brighter taste. Alsace lies on the border of France and Germany and the dry riesling from that region tends to be super sweet, have high acidity–which gives it that bubbly feeling–and not too flabby since the moderate alcohol levels give it some structure, like a corset of sorts.

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This cloudy yellow wine smells like peach and pineapple and has a crisp bite. It’s fruity, but it’s got a kick which makes it not too sweet. It’s perfect for Thai food, which I had with it last night. All the windows were open to cool down our 85 degree apartment on a hot summer night and the quiet breeze was a perfect complement to the wine.

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I found my way to Wolff Vineyards in San Louis Obispo with some girlfriends. We did a road trip in my Mini Cooper–yes four women and all our stuff fit in my Misha, believe me I’m as surprised as you are. A friend from work suggested we hit up Wolff Vineyards when we went wine tasting and I’m glad she did!

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The tastings were $8 and you can sit out on the patio, BYOC (bring your own cheese), and serve the pours al fresco. Surrounded by hills, valleys and vines, you may also get a visit from a black lab named Daisy, who belongs to the winery owners.

Nuts and Bolts

  • Winery: Wolff Vineyards
  • Type: Dry Riesling
  • Origin: Central Coast
  • Vintage: 2012
  • Price: $21
  • Alcohol content: 13.8%
  • When to drink: On a hot summer night! It’s refreshing!

Review: 2012 Jarenincan Crnko

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Bet you can’t say that five times fast.

I bought this Slovenian white blend of riesling and dry muscat hoping to drink it with a delicious meal featuring lemon garlic cod and jasmine rice, but I decided to bring this table wine to a pre-New Year’s Eve party since it’s 1-Liter size and bottle cap top make it difficult for individual consumption.

OK let’s stop right there. Yes, this wine has a bottle cap on it.

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Not a screw top and not a cork. Weird, huh. It’s the wine of the people over in Slovenia, served in every country tavern and in every household, so I guess the bottle cap blends well with that scene.

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That’s not the only thing weird about this number. It’s lemony and zesty and reminds me of the idea of an alcoholic Fresca.

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Great for easy drinking, I decided to bring it to the pre-party because I knew it would be low-key, great for a crowd and a nice, light precursor to the Old Fashioneds and other bourbon/whiskey cocktails I’d ride for the rest of the evening, which by the way was filled with beautiful views of Los Angeles and sparklers!

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The wine is hand-picked from a family vineyard in northeastern Slovenia that features fossil-rich soils. The blend changes from year to year, according to the folks at Vintage Berkeley.

Nuts and Bolts

  • Winery: Crnko
  • Type: blend of riesling and dry muscat
  • Origin: Slovenia
  • Vintage: 2012
  • Price: $15
  • Alcohol content: I left the bottle at that pre-New Year’s soiree and forgot to write this down!
  • When to drink: Tuck this in a picnic basket as you head out to the park on a summery day with your friends, a croquet set and this amazing lemon-feta dip.