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As I’ve sauntered around the shelves of Appellation, showing our clients the selection we’ve assembled over the last three years, I’ve discerned there are a few polarizing wines. Wines like Chardonnay, Merlot and Shiraz are simultaneously lambasted and beloved. Even I, a voracious wine lover, have waffled numerous times when it comes to Malbec. But the one wine I never really understood why people have differentiating reactions to is Riesling.
There are those who don’t like sweet Riesling. To them I’d recommend certain bone-dry Alsatian or German bottlings. Then there are those who think off-dry wine is somehow artificial. But residual sugar can be a sign of a wine’s complexity and age. And the sweet sensation can intensify the wine’s fruit flavors and compliment food gorgeously (especially cheese).
This week, we’re featuring a Riesling from Alex Gysler. Alex inherited the Rheinhessen vineyard following the sudden passing of his father Gernot. Not long after, Alex’s wife became pregnant with the couple’s first child, which inspired his shift to organic viticulture. Alex wanted his child to enter a respectful world and that meant expressing that sentiment towards the earth. His pride wouldn’t let him leave his offspring a vineyard ravaged by traditional vinification methods.
Gysler’s Riesling Kabinett is grown in the hilly slopes of Weinheim. The aromas are explosive: apricots, peaches, mangoes, and a touch of herbs. The palate is off-dry, rich yet light with notes of orange blossoms, green apples, and cherry pie, which combine with thirst-provoking acidity. This Riesling is remarkably food versatile, but it’s exceptional with soft cheeses, sushi, and paella.
I know that no matter the enormity of praise I effuse on Gysler, some of you aren’t budging from your stance on Riesling. But for those who feel like dabbling in Germany’s noblest grape and those who just flat out love Riesling already, this is one heck of a wine. $16.99 (organic)
— Tyler
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