So I'm at a German wine seminar the other day, and a few small revelations hit me.First up, we tasted through six wines from the same Rheingau producer, Johannes Leitz (say it like 'lights'). The presenter told us the stats of the first two wines (sugar level, acid and dry extract), then asked us to guess the sugar level of the third. Everybody guessed slightly higher than the last, but in fact it was about 4 times as much. Why couldn't we tell? Because there was more acid in the wine, as well, drying up the finish and causing my mouth to water as soon as I spit. The finish removed all perception of sugar, and left me thirsting for more.
Later, we discussed food pairing. Inevitably, Riesling gets pigeonholed into pairings with Asian cuisine. It's understandable. It's great with spicy food. However, that acid that we talked about also makes it great with savory and fatty foods. Think about this: we have no qualms pairing orange juice with fried eggs and bacon, or a Coke with a cheeseburger, yet both of these are far sweeter than even the sweetest of table Rieslings. Why does it work? Again, acid. Acid cuts through the fat, providing a brilliant complementary pairing, just like Pinot Noir (a high-acid red wine...well, at least the good ones are) with Salmon.
So go ahead and enjoy that sweeter-than-your-norm Riesling. And pair it up with a nice filet mignon or cream-based dish. You'll be surprised at the results.
