100% Riesling from Rheinhessen, Germany
Sample submitted for review. Available for around $10. 10,000 cases produced.
From the bottle:
"Starts with a wonderful bouquet of fresh peaches. The fruit carries over to the palate with an enticing nuance of minerals from the soils of Rheinhessen. The wine is pure, bright and balanced.
11.5% Alcohol"
I'm not sure how it happened, but this is the first review of a German wine here on The Reverse Wine Snob. That's definitely an area we need to address, and we begin today with a very wallet friendly Riesling from the Rheinhessen.
The Rheinhessen, which is the largest German wine region, is bordered by the Rhine river on the north and east. It is generally considered that the closer to the river, the better the wines thanks to the unique soils and climate. Today's wine comes from the highly regarded Roter Hang (Red Slope) area, named because of the red slate soils.
Riesling is very popular in Rheinhessen, but the most grown grape in the region is Muller-Thurgau, which is an offspring of Riesling. The red Dornfelder grape is the third most produced after Riesling. But enough about the region, let's get to the wine.
The 2009 Rudi Wiest Rhein River Riesling begins with pleasant aromas of white peach, apple, lemon and a hint of tropical fruit. The wine tastes soft and fruity with lots of green apple, apricot and more peach. Bright acidity helps to create a refreshing, easy to drink wine. It ends with a hint of minerality on the slightly dry finish. Not an overly complex wine but it is likely to be a crowd pleaser.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.