A very nice bottle of Riesling from Alsace. This is a top notch bottle and will usually run you around $50. I picked it up last year at Wine Library for $40 and we brought it up the other night to have with some Thai food. While spicy Thai goes exceptionally well with Gewurztraminer I think it also works with the dry Rieslings from Alsace.

colonelgrape: 94. Definitely a French Riesling, dry as a bone. The acidity was just right and gave the wine some pep. The flavors came through after the inital rush: lemon, peach, orange, honey. A long finish, hints of mineral along with the tartness from the acid made it very enjoyable. I’ve been into minerality lately…really good terrior coming through from Loire Valley and Alsace recently. This glass worked well with the Thai food but I think it would be just as good on it’s own on a nice hot summer day.

MobyGrape: 90. I feel somewhat betrayed by Riesling.  In my head, all Rieslings are all jolly German creations hopping around in lederhosen.  They’re sweet and delectable and most of all…sweet.  Let me warn you, this is not sweet.  I will admit that yes, I had done a reasonable (minor) amount of homework about Rieslings and was fully aware that if from France instead of Germany, they tend to not be sweet.  To that, I say stop fermenting everything and throw some sugar back in there, France.  Even though I had an idea what I was getting into, I hoped against hope that this one bucked the system and decided to be a sweeter variety.  It wasn’t, at all, but I can’t deny that it was a delicious wine.  It was crisp and tasted like lemongrass.  I don’t know if that’s a real thing you would want to eat or not, but I do know I’ve smelled it in soaps and whatnot.  All that said, refreshing and lemony and delightful in its own way?  Yes.  Sweet?  Noooooo.