St. Gabriel Riesling 2014

by Amy

As we all know, I am Riesling's #1 fan (as evidenced here and here and here). So when my dear boss found this bottle for me to try, it made me even more thankful that I have the best job in the world. 

One of my favorite things about Riesling is that you really never know what you're going to get. The varietal is so varied, ranging from dry to sweet, that you're in for a surprise every time you open a bottle from a new vineyard. Though I always expect something aromatic and interesting.

And this one didn't disappoint. 

When I tried St. Gabriel's 2014 vintage, after every sip I couldn't stop saying, "Man . . . this is so good!"

Tasting Notes

This one's got a lot going on. Truth be told, I couldn't get much from the nose other than candied lemon. But that first sip packed quite a punch: there's pear and peach and pineapple and green apple, and I swear it's slightly effervescent when it first hits your tongue. There's not much alcohol in this at all (only 9.5% ABV), and its sweetness is balanced so well by the acid—this is going to be a great wine for pairing or drinking on its own (it's 5 o'clock somewhere, y'all). 

It doesn't officially declare it on the bottle, but I'd say this is a Spätlese (shpate-lay-zuh): a German designation for a late-harvest wine. Because these grapes stay on the vine longer, these wines can be run off-dry to a little sweet, depending on when the vinter decided to harvest.

Price Point

Certainly a bargain for what you get: you can find it here (on sale!) for $9.99.

Pairings

This aromatic, off-dry beauty will play nicely with many things: spicy Asian dishes (I'm looking at you, Thai curries), pork, soft cheeses, and apple desserts.

*This is imported by Prestige Wine Group—I can't wait to see what else is in their lineup! Because in case you can't tell, I LOVED this wine.