Behind the Cork™ - Familie Lahusen Riesling

2023 Familie Lahusen Riesling ($25)

Meet Bodega Los Cerros de San Juan, the oldest winery in Uruguay! They make this Familie Lahuesen Riesling. Their vineyards are just a few kilometers from Colonia and Carmelo in the southwestern part of Uruguay, near the coast. Finca Los Cerros (The Cerros Estate) is shaped by the rocky hills that define the region. The winery’s roots go back to Germany, where their founders got the Riesling grapes over 80 years ago.

The Riesling grapes used to make this wine are carefully picked and de-stemmed. Then, they’re cooled and gently pressed. Fermentation happens in 1800 liter Italian amphorae vessels using special yeasts until the wine reaches a minimum residual sugar level of 1.7 g/L. Their use of amphorae adds complexity and longevity to this wine.

This Familie Lahuesen Riesling is a vibrant yellow color with delightful lime and green apple aromas. On the palate, it boasts a medium-light body and medium-high acidity. The flavor is predominantly green apple, complemented by tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and nectarine. The finish is crisp andrefreshing. This isn’t your typical German Riesling; it’s a unique ‘Atlantic’ style from Uruguay!

Uruguay, renowned for its exceptional and distinctive wines, continues to delight wine enthusiasts. The Familie Lahuesen Riesling is a prime example of this, offering exceptional flavors that captivate the palate. At this remarkably affordable price, it stands as an ideal choice for this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Bodega Los Cerros de San Juan

Riesling -- A Misunderstood Wine

Riesling is a wine that is most famously produced in Germany where nearly half the world's Riesling grapes are grown. Other great producers of Riesling include the Alsace region of France, Australia, Austria, Uruguay, Canada and the United States. Riesling that is grown in cooler climate regions result in highly aromatic wines with great acidity and big, bright fruit flavors. But mention a Riesling and most often you'll hear "Oh, that's a sweet wine."

One of the reasons that Riesling is considered "a sweet wine" is because it has flavors of sweet fruits - green apple, apricot, nectarine, peach, pear, and pineapple. Flavors that our brain associates with sweetness. Another reason for Riesling's sweet flavors is the fact that it is rarely aged in oak. Not having the rich, toasty and butter flavors of oak lets Riesling's bright sweet fruit flavors shine though. Also, Riesling is rarely blended with other grapes. So, what you get are the pure sweet fruit flavors of the Riesling grape. And the final reason that Riesling is considered sweet is that many Rieslings are, well, intentionally produced to be sweet.

But not all Rieslings are sweet. They can span the range from dry to sweet. The Alsace region of France is known for its dry Riesling. And warmer climates, such as California, Oregon and Washington, produce dry Rieslings that typically have more muted fruit flavors, are more medium to full-bodied.

So, yes, Riesling can be a bit confusing. But, not all Rieslings are "sweet." The key is to look at the wine’s total Residual Sugar (RS). If you find one with a RS level less than 17 g/L, it is considered dry (i.e., not sweet). If you find one with a RS level greater than 17 g/L, it will indeed be sweet.

Behind the Cork™ - Summer Wines from Mack & Schuhle

It’s Summer! And time for some light and refreshing wines. Mack & Schuhle Importers have just the wines to cool and refresh you during these hot summer days!

Light wines are versatile and can be enjoyed on their own as a refreshing drink or paired with a wide range of summer dishes, from salads and grilled vegetables to seafood and lighter meats and they won’t overpower the flavors of lighter summer foods.

The flavor profiles of light wines, such as citrus, green apple, and floral notes, just shout freshness which is especially appreciated during the warm summer months.

Summer foods tend to be lighter and fresher. So, light wines will complement these foods well and enhance their flavors.

Mosketto Delicate Sweet Pink ($11.99) — Italians love to start off an evening, especially at a social gathering, with a glass of this delicious pink bubbly wine. It really doesn’t matter what time of year it is, the wine’s presence puts everyone in a good mood. The pleasant bubbles in this wine come from a natural carbonation process without the addition of CO2 or artificial flavors. It is produced in Italy from Brachetto and Moscato grapes.

This Mosketto is salmon in color with very delicate aromas. On the palate it has sweet flavors of white cherry and peach. At 5% Alcohol by volume (ABV), this is indeed a light and refreshing wine to enjoy throughout the summer (or anytime!).

Art of Earth Riesling ($11.99) — Any time is the right time for a Riesling.  Many wine lovers claim, however, that if there is one wine that is considered to be the best for warm weather, it has to be Riesling.

This Riesling is from the Reinhessen QBA in Germany and is produced in the dry, trocken style. It is pale gold in color with delicate aromas that include nectarine and citrus blossom. On the palate, this off-dry wine has flavors of green apple and pineapple with good acidity and finishes bright with some minerality.

This one is Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Organic, Vegan.

Artigiano Peach Bellini ($12.99) — It is said that Cipriani in Beverly Hills could only serve the Bellini during the summer months of the early 1900s, but nowadays this cocktail can be enjoyed year-round. A comparable alternative to the mimosa, Bellinis make an excellent brunch drink because of their fruit juice and light sparkling wine flavor.

This Belinni is from Spain and made from a blend of 100% organic white wine and peach puree. It’s got big peach flavor and is lightly carbonated. This is a sweet one with just 6% ABV.

With these hot summer months, these three wines are perfect to enjoy with friends and family. And, at these very affordable prices, make them great fits as the Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Mack & Schühle

Behind the Cork™ - Winter White Wines (Part 1)

Standard convention says that during the colder days of winter, a hearty red wine is the one to pick. And, while that’s not wrong, there are also white wines that are well-suited for winter drinking.

Winter white wines are not the bright, fruity and refreshing ones that you may normally think of, such as Sauvignon Blanc, but rather whites that are a bit bigger and more powerful in flavor such that they pair well with heartier winter dishes.

And, these winter whites don’t need to be extra chilled in a standard refrigerator. Winter whites should be served in the 50-55° F range.

Here are a couple of nice examples:

2021 Domäne Wachau Riesling ($18.99)

This Domäne Wachau Federspiel Terrassen Riesling is from the Wachau Valley on the Danube River in Austria where Riesling is famous. It comes from sustainable and increasingly organic principles. It is hand-picked, pressed and then fermented on lees in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fruit flavors. It is medium straw in color with delicate aromas of lime and green apple. On the palate, this dry Riesling (1.2 g/L residual sugar) has flavors of peach, apricot and bee’s wax.

2020 Beronia Rueda ($13.99)

Rueda is a wine region located on the Duero river in Spain just northwest of the Spanish capital, Madrid. And, it is known for its white wines made predominantly from the Verdejo grape variety. This 100% Verdejo wine is fermented in both stainless steel (which preserves the complexity and intensity of the aroma) and concrete tanks (which promotes contact with the lees and helps to a full-bodied wine). This Beronia Rueda is pale yellow in color with green hints. On the nose it exhibits rich fruit flavors and fennel which is typical of the Verdejo grape. On the palate, this dry wine (<2 g/L residual sugar) has the flavor of grapefruit pith which leads to a slight touch of bitterness on the finish which is also typical of the Verdejo grape.

Both of these wines are fine examples of white wines that can be enjoyed with winter meals and, again, can be served in the 50-55° F range. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Gonzalez Byass via Donna White Communications

Ever Wonder? Can Aged Riesling Really Smell like Petrol?

Wines regularly get described by their aromas – floral, citrus, green apple, melon, herbal, cherry, plum and spice. But, Riesling – can it really including the aroma of petrol?

 A lot of people might assume a bottle of Riesling must have gone bad if they detect an aroma anything like petrol, gasoline or kerosene. But, this actually is a key characteristic of an aged Riesling!

 Not that a Riesling grape straight from the vine will have any such smell, but petrol is an aroma that forms during the fermentation process.

 There is a lot of chemistry that goes on during a wine’s fermentation. And, the development of exotic chemical compounds is one of these.

 As I started with, the fermentation of grapes can result in a tremendous range of aromas – most of which come from the chemical interactions of the juice of grapes and yeast. Other aromas can be introduced during the aging process (e.g., from oak barrels).

 It turns out that a petrol-like aroma is a natural occurrence in aged Riesling. Your glass of wine is not going to smell like a gas can, but there can be “delicate” aromas of petrol.

 Without getting into the chemistry details, the reason that an aged Riesling can smells like gasoline is due to a chemical compound called TDN (1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene). While the potential for TDN to be produced and noticed in most wines is pretty low, Riesling grapes have the highest chance to exhibit this distinctive aroma. Don’t lose sight of the fact that the primary aromas of Riesling will be tropical fruit, red fruit, melon, citrus and spice. But, there can be this petrol-like aroma compound. And, in combination with the other aromas, it can also result in aromas of honey, beeswax or paraffin.

Sources: GL Sacks et. al. (2012), C Black et. at. (2012)

So, try an aged bottle of Riesling. Not that petrol is an aroma you may desire, but open up mind and your nostrils and see if you can pick out the aroma. It’s not for everyone, but it’s certainly worth trying as you continue on your wine journey. Cheers!