Not All Wines Dance with Rhythm.
RIESLING aka The Chameleon
You know what some wines have that others don't? It's that thing they say that people with two left feet lack....rhythm.
Now I'm not saying the wines with rhythm are going to literally bust a move before your eyes. However, they are going to spin some moves on your palate that will make your mouth water with each sip. In the world of wine, rhythm = ACIDITY. The best kind of acidity or rhythm comes in waves.
Naturally, there are some grapes that simply do it better in their final form as wines. Chenin Blanc aka Chardonnay's tropical cousin, Riesling aka the Chameleon & Barbera aka the hopeless romantic, all come to mind as examples. The acid seems to sit in a, to use another musical term, MAJOR KEY, and doesn't tend to trip our palates up with too many sharp or flat notes. Instead, we get to ride their waves of acidity like a catchy R&B-pop ditty.
Some wines that sing with a sharp acidity, others with a flat acidity. Sauvignon blanc, for example, would be considered sharp since the acid often tends to be a marker of the varietal and it all hits up front with instant, constant salivation as the drinker’s gift. A wine like Pinot Grigio, however, tends to have a more flat, linear acidity that does not serve as a key part of its structure. Obviously, with the art of winemaking, region, terroir, etc. playing a role in a wine’s final form, the mileage will vary on that statement.
THE EXTENDED PLAYLIST
Wonderwerk Winery “Free Your Mind”
Felix Gruner Veltliner
Felix R&B
Here's a few wines I've been getting into recently that fit the bill of a wine with rhythm.
Free Your Mind - a coferment of Carignan & Riesling, which means the juice of both grapes is fermented together at the same time instead of separately. Carignan is often used for blending purposes where it adds *cue the drums* acidity to the blend. While I love this fresh red wine, due to the natty-wine status of it I definitely recommend drinking it all on day one where it will show its best.
Pair with Free Your Mind by En Vogue
Felix Gruner Veltliner - this Austrian white varietal tends to have a more tame acidity, but this take is actually perfect for my acid freaks out there. Grilled veggies, goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in prosciutto & shrimp kebabs would get along just fine with this one.
Pair with KISS by Prince
Felix R&B - Rotberger is my new favorite contestant on "grapes you've probably never heard of". I came across a Virginia winery's take on this varietal a couple weeks ago in DC, but its roots are firmly Austrian. It's a hybrid cross between Riesling & Trollinger. Run, don't walk, to have this chillable red in your summer rotation, cause I have a feeling I'm about to drink all the available inventory in the US at this point.
Pair with Insecure by Jazmine Sullivan
Sip thoughtfully & savor memorably winos.
Cheers,
The Certified Wino
