Vintage Vinos

Mary and Ryan Laudien hosted the October 8th Reisling (dry) wine-tasting evening. The Reisling grape is very indicative of the terroir it is grown in and therefore considered as “the purest consideration of place”. Thus, wines were chosen from three different continents and three different terroirs to explore the differences between the wines. The wines presented, included:
1. Willi Schaefer – Graacher Himmelreich Reisling Kabinett 2019, Mosel Valley, Germany (soil type, Devonian slate)
2. Pewsey Vale – The Contours Eden Valley Reisling 2013, Eden Valley, Australia (soil type, rocky, clay, sandstone)
3. Tantalus Vineyards – Old Vine Riesling 2022, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada (soil type, glacial, sandy loam, clay).
It turns out that Ryan (a good German) didn’t actually know as much about Reisling as he thought.

There was some valuable knowledge gained from this wine-tasting experience extraordinaire:

The fact that you could age these wines for many years, 15 and beyond under the right conditions (high acidity).
The German rating system for sweetness doesn’t correlate with what North Americans consider “dry”.
The Canadian wine makers produce an excellent tasting and collectible Reisling.
Not everyone appreciates the aroma of “petrol” in their wine. (Australian)
Pairing food and wine makes a significant difference in the taste and status of the wine.
NEVER serve ice wine that has been sitting in your pantry for 10+ years…it won’t dazzle your guests, no matter how yummy the dessert it is paired with might be.