Fritz’s Riesling, 2016
ABOUT THE WINE There’s arguably no better place for Riesling, Germany’s signature white wine, than Gunderloch, a 125-year-old estate that has earned three 100-point scores from Wine Spectator. Those Rieslings were made by the late Fritz Hasselbach, who married the Gunderloch founder’s great-great-granddaughter in 1979. Their son, Johannes, now runs Gunderloch, making every style of Riesling, from ultra-sweet to bone-dry. This lively, subtly sweet version is the perfect introduction to the grape.
DID YOU KNOW? The most prized Rieslings are the ultra-sweet wines known as trockenbeerenauslesen (TBAs for short), or “dried berry selection.” Drying the grapes concentrates their sugar content.
ABOUT THE REGION Rheinhessen, in southwest Germany, is the country’s largest wine region, with 65,000 acres of vines. Rheinhessen was infamous for cheap, oft-maligned whites (such as Blue Nun), but Rheinhessen is a star now. The best wines come from the so-called Red Slope, a stretch of steep, hillside vineyards along the Rhine River that have red-slate soil. Rheinhessen, Germany
AT A GLANCE
Variety: Riesling Oak: Stainless steel (no oak) Vintage: 2016 Alcohol: 11% Vineyard: Various Farming: Conventional
To learn more about this wine, visit blueapron.com/wines/202 TASTING NOTES
Fritz’s Riesling is a textbook off-dry German Riesling: The grape’s signature citrus and tropical-fruit flavors are carried by a bracing zestiness and a slight sweetness. It’s perfectly balanced and mouthwateringly juicy.
1) Look at the Color
Pale straw
2) Swirl & Smell
Orange Pineapple Honeysuckle Baked apple marmalade
3) Taste & Savor
Low High Tannins Drying element TASTING TIP Sweetness Amount of sugar Riesling is one of the wine world’s beloved aromatic whites. Body Sniff for scents of honeysuckle, Viscosity or weight orange blossom or other flowers, Acidity like jasmine. Tingling crispness
4) Pair and enjoy!
Match this wine’s symbol to a Blue Apron Meal These vibrant wines often taste of passion fruit or citrus, sometimes accented with an herbaceous note. A fruity-zesty balance, a signature of Sauvignon Blanc, is what makes these Zesty & wines delicious with goat cheese (a staple pairing in France’s Tropical Loire Valley); the wine makes the cheese taste creamier.
More classic pairings: Asparagus quiche | Fish & chips | Seared scallops