Okay, I'm late Wine Blogging Wednesday #53, hosted by El Jefe from El Bloggo Torcido. Sue me.
But, at least I'm still taking part, albeit a few days late. I had to because this theme, wines with breakfast, is one of the most unique we've had in the 4+ years of WBW. Of course, anyone who knows Jefe won't be surprised that he is the mastermind behind an off-the-wall theme.
Wine with breakfast, you say? He took us even one step further…outlawing sparkling, rose and sweet wines. We had to pick a dry red or dry white.
He did cut us a bit of a break though… we didn't need to actually drink the wine at breakfast time, just with breakfast foods.
So, I cooked up a gruyere-Canadian bacon frittata (with lots of caramelized onion) and pondered my options. I didn't ponder for long though. I knew where I was going… my GTG (that's go-to grape), riesling. Sorry for the Rachel Ray moment, there.
McGregor Vineayrd 2007 Dry Riesling ($23) went reasonably well, although Nena didn't think it worked as well as I did. The nose was much more floral that I expected, with Key lime blossom the primary aroma with wet slate, lime zest and faint peach aromas in the background.
The reason I go to riesling when I'm in doubt is the racy acidity that good ones feature — and this one has it in spades. Lime and peach mingle on a medium-light bodied palate cut by electric acidity. The finish is long and minerally with a tart apricot note on the very finish. Nena likes a bit more peach and tropical fruit in her Finger Lakes riesling, but I enjoyed this one. I think its best days are ahead of it though. The acid will settle down and integrate a bit more.
How about the pairing? It was okay. I enjoy riesling enough that it will "work" for me most of the time (unless we're talking rare-cooked steak). The acidity was great with the rich eggs and the light fruit flavors actually played nicely with the smoky-salty pork. The floral component is what kept this from being a great match, though.
Thanks for hosting, Jefe and thanks for the great theme. I think I'll stick to green tea, or better yet, a good German-made Hefe Weizen for breakfast going forward though.