08/07/08 Food & Wine-Riesling

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today is food & wine pairing day. Yesterday we discussed German Riesling and I think it is only fair to give equal time to some of my other favorite Rieslings from my home state of Washington, and of course the foods that I like best with them. Washington state grape growers and winemakers produce some of the best Riesling you can buy and the prices are very reasonable. The styles vary from bone dry to extremely sweet late harvest and ice wines. Kiona is a good producer of a wide array of styles and the wines are available most everywhere. Chateau Ste Michele also makes several different styles and even has a collaboration with a very well known German winemaker Ernst Loosen. That wine is named Eroica, and it is worth going to their website and finding out how to buy some. The slightly sweeter wines are very good with a spicy grilled chicken satay or a curried chicken or shrimp preparation, served over cous cous or chilled in a salad. The drier styles are fabulous with grilled pork tenderloin. And because these wines are often a bit lower in alcohol they are perfect for summer lunch of cold ham sandwiches or even a big fruit salad. My recommendation as a good way to beat the summer heat is to sit down with a light meal and a chilled bottle of Washington Riesling. Cheers! And remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.