Here we are again…the first Wednesday of the month…and that can only mean one thing: it’s Wine Blogging Wednesday. Derrick at An Obsession With Food is this month’s host, having picked New World Riesling as the theme.
I picked up a couple different wines this time around, staying local with Long Island wines. I grabbed a bottle of 2003 Peconic Bay Riesling and a 2001 Laurel Lakes Vineyard Riesling.
Food
Because I think Asian food is great with Riesling, I made a quick stir fry of hoisin-marinated pork (sliced thinly), mushrooms, carrots, red bell peppers and onions. It was deliciously savory-sweet if I do say so myself. In Nena’s words "one of your best stir fries ever."
Considering I make them regularly and think I’m pretty good at them…that’s a compliment.
Wine #1: 2003 Peconic Bay Winery Riesling
Price: $11.99
Winery’s Tasting Notes: "This was an outstanding year for Riesling. This is in light of the fact that the 2000 and 2001 vintages were stellar in their own right. The cooler-than-usual growing season was well suited for this German variety. The dept of flavor in this Riesling is a result of its melange of fruity characteristics and appetite-whetting acidity. The most prominent aromatic flavors are pear and grapefruit. If the wine is above 55 degrees, you’ll notice nuances of peach and apricot in the background. This wine was fermented in the Sussreserve style. A small portion of sweet, unfermented juice was held aside during harvest. After fermentation of the main batch was complete, the sweet reserve was added. As a result, the subtle sweetness in the wine comes from the natural sugars of the grape. This gives the finished wine more body, fruit, and enhanced moutfeel."
My Tasting Notes: Light, lemony yellow in the glass, the nose was subtle at first, with nice floral/mineral notes and some citrus (maybe the grapefruit?). The nose Pinnochioed (grew) with time, showing more citrus and maybe a little apple.
On the tongue, this wine was nicely filled with peach and just a little crisp pear. The sweetness was there, just barely, but amazing acidity balanced it out quite well. That same acidity made it great with the stir fry and I imagine with most food pairings.
Overall: We both liked this a couple weeks ago at the Peconic Bay Winery Thanksgiving Barrel Tasting but on it’s own, with our palates unmarked by cheeses or heavier foods, we enjoyed it even more. For this price, I’d buy it again as an aperitif pour in the summer. It’s not a German Riesling by any means…but better than many American versions I’ve tasted.
Wine #2: 2001 Laurel Lakes Winery Riesling
Price: $8.99
Winery’s Tasting Notes: "This flowery, aromatic wine blends soft acidity with sweetness, all of which adds to its sipping pleasure."
My Tasting Notes: Much lighter in color than the Peconic Bay, this wine’s nose was much more pronounced, filled with lush apricot and honeysuckle aromas. Once tasted, however, we found this one a bit too sweet for our tastes, mainly because this wine lacked the structured acidity of the Peconic Bay. Without that acidity, it seemed a little flatter and one dimensional.
Overall: We had this for the first time years ago at a reception after one of Nena’s singing performances. We liked it then, which just shows how much our palates have grown and changed over recent years. Served ice-cold at a July 4th BBQ, I could probably drink it, but it’s too sweet for me really.