Sometimes, you just need to keep it simple. This month, I received Rockbridge Vineyard’s White Riesling and had all sorts of plans to open it in a new and exotic locale. I got married on October 3rd and took the bottle with me on my honeymoon. My wife and I had it in our refrigerator all week long planning to have it on a picnic, in a hot tub or some other location...and well...it just didn’t work out. We got distracted. Yes, let’s leave it at that.
So the honeymoon has passed and we have returned to my now parents-in-law to pick up gifts left for us there (Thank you again everyone!) and we’re asked to stay for dinner. I grabbed the now well traveled bottle of riesling and brought it over as our contribution to the meal.
My mother-in-law set a simple table for an al fresco Sunday dinner. She made chicken soup and had some Italian bread with butter served along side of it. The afternoon was a little cool and the homemade soup lifted our spirits after a week of overindulgent honeymoon food. The wine did not disappoint either. It was clean and simple and was cool and crisp in contrast to the warm and salty taste of the chicken broth. While the label calls it an “off dry white”, the 2% residual sugar indicated on the back label, and the sweet crisp taste that lingers in your mouth said otherwise to me. It was a big hit with my sister-in-law, who loves rieslings and sweeter wines. It was definitely one of the sweetest wines I’ve ever had through Virginia Wine of the Month, who usually does a much drier white selection for the majority of the year.
However, while the pairing with chicken soup was good, the pairing with the bread and butter was amazing. The sweetness of the wine went with the creaminess of the butter and was just delicious to eat together. While this wine would make an excellent aperitif, I think if you served it with bread and butter before a meal, you’re in for a big hit with your next party. I had a little bit of wine left in my glass, and out came the homemade apple pie for dessert. It was another nice pairing with the sweetness of the apples being complemented by the wine.
Finally, I think something should be said about the screw top bottle. Some people have this “shame on you” moment like there is something wrong whenever a wine is served in a screw top bottle. My wife and I personally don’t care how a bottle is sealed so long as the wine inside is delicious, and this wine certainly is a wonderful fine wine to share with anyone. In fact, for this outside meal, the screw top was simple and nonthreatening, just like the wine itself. My only complaint is that my wife and I keep every cork from every bottle we drink together, and this one wouldn’t be added to our collection. All in all, a minimal sacrifice.
Here’s to hoping you enjoy these last few warm days of the year with good wine and good company. Cheers.