23 Mar Germany meets Washington – 2021 Eroica Riesling
“Riesling just isn’t my thing”
That’s a familiar refrain spoken by many U.S. wine drinkers.
They often dismiss the varietal as being too sweet
and not food-friendly.
Riesling defenders have a comeback.
They argue that one shouldn’t generalize
about this multi-faceted wine.
They say that Rieslings can be dry, sweet or in-between…
aka “off-dry”…and can pair well with a wide variety of foods.
Here’s what those who love Riesling
say to those who loathe Riesling:
“You just haven’t had a good one yet.”
It’s Wine Thursday! our weekly look
at a good wine that sells at a reasonable price
and is easy to find in store or online.
This week, we’re checking out a collaborative effort
between German and American winemakers
who have made progress in their quest
to lead a Riesling revival.
Where it’s from
Over 20 years ago, two of the world’s top Riesling producers decided to
merge their Old World and New World wine-making philosophies.
They’ve been smiling ever since.
Germany’s Dr. Loosen and Washington state’s Chateau Ste. Michelle
collaborate to produce Eroica. It’s made in Washington with
Washington state grapes but definitely reflects the inspiration
from Germany where Riesling has been an art form for centuries.
What it is
I’m going to steal a line from one of my wine industry colleagues
who said Eroica tastes like “a combination of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc”.
That’s an accurate description.
It’s pleasantly off-dry and has the appealing minerality present
in both of those wines.
But it does not have the strong cut-grass aroma
of Sauvignon Blanc nor the heavy petrol nose
that many would-be Riesling drinkers find unpleasant.
There’s orange, peach and lemon-lime flavors that, combined with
a bit of effervescence, make Eroica taste a bit like 7 up…very refreshing.
Serve it well-chilled and give it some time…
a 1/2 hour after pulling the cork…to open up.
This 2021 version is appealing now but,
typical of a quality Riesling,
could improve after a couple of years in cool storage.
Where to buy it
Fred Meyer has Eroica on the shelf for $17.99.
Target’s price is $18.99
The price at QFC, Bevmo and Total Wine is $19.99.
It’s at Safeway for $21.99.
You can order it from Buy Wines Online for $14.95
Empire Wine has it for $15.95
The price at The Wine Buyer is $15.99
Plum Market has it for $16.97
https://www.plummarket.com/store/
and it’s at B-21 for $17.98