Shadowland Riesling

Last year I did a blog on Shadowland Merlot.  The Merlot was light bodied, more like a Pinot Noir than a Merlot.  It was a nice bottle for the price and I gave it a favorable review.

Today, I’m tasting the same maker’s Riesling.  I enjoy wines from the Pacific Northwest, particularly whites.  They tend to be a touch more floral that other areas of the west coast – yum.

The nose of this Riesling reminds me of grape Sweet Tarts.  There’s a sweet sourness that makes my mouth water in anticipation.  That sounded a bit creepy.  Sorry.  How about white grape juice?  The nose makes me think of that, too.  A hint of citrus, with absolutely no mineral to it.  I love it.

The flavor is a bit more complex.  Initially sweet, the sugars fall away for a nice acidic finish.  It’s crisp and clean.  I can taste a little bit of lemon hidden under the layers of grapes.  Funny thing, this is one of the first wines I’ve tasted that makes me think, “This tastes like grapes.”  White grapes, or Welch’s white grape juice.

It’s a nice, dry Riesling at a good price point.  You can probably find it at your local grocery store; expect to pay around $10 for the bottle.

I’m not sure how I’d pair this one.  It might be a dry Riesling, but there is still sweetness.  This one is more of a stand alone, drink while I’m sitting on the back deck kind of wine.  It would probably do well with a desert or with salty potato chips.  (Sweet/salty is always good.)

Oh!  Ham.  Serve this with ham – the saltiness of the ham paired with the sweetness of the Riesling will be fabulous.

It’s a nice wine for the price.