West Coast Riesling Riot

Its fresh, floral, crunchy fruit and juicy citrus flavours can brighten any picnic, lunch, patio or dinner party, and many of the world's best examples can be had for a song. Okay, maybe not the way you sing, but $15 to $20 will get you a very fine riesling, and $20 to $30 should fetch an excellent example.

It seems that riesling has finally scratched out a following among British Columbian drinkers thanks to plenty of groundwork by private retailers, such as Liberty Wine Merchants and Marquis Wine Cellars. Recently, there've been signs that riesling is coming to life in government stores.

This city's cheese purveyors, Alice and Allison Spurrell and Joe Chaput of les Amis du Fromage, are so enthralled with riesling's ability to pair with cheese and food they have made it a fixture on the wine list at their very hip Au Petit Chavignol restaurant at 845 E. Hastings. And to get you in the mood beginning June 21, all rieslings, all summer, are 25 per cent off.

Riesling's resurgence in North America is all fine with German winemaker Johannes Selbach, a modern-day riesling ambassador, who seems to spend an inordinate amount of time in Vancouver. Selbach, the proprietor of the Mosel-based Selbach-Oster (at Zeltingen), will take whatever help he can get. "You don't have to beat down the walls any more to get people to taste or buy riesling, those days are past, " said Selbach.

Selbach has just lowered the price on his entry level, fighting-varietal riesling that bears the moniker Selbach S. The plan is to take on the Dr. L made by his Mosel regional colleague Ernie Loosen, and the Bird Label offering made by another crusader Rainer Lingenfelder from the Pfalz.

Also joining the fray is Fritz Hasselbach with yet another easy-to-access label called Fritz's Riesling - all hand-picked and bottled at the estate. Collectively these producers have listened to the market over the years and found a way to simplify their naming and pricing while still delivering a high quality, estate- style riesling.

Could the vibrant grape's new found success have something to do with its ability to pair well with food? Does it rain in Vancouver? The only anomaly is the failure of riesling to penetrate this city's plethora of Indian, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese eateries. Maybe we should consider eating elsewhere until their lists improve.

Whether it's a renaissance, a revolution or even just an evolution, riesling is back and it's the freshest breeze to blow through the wine sector in a century. All that's required to close the loop are consumers to revisit this refreshing, intellectual white wine. With a possible three months of warm weather ahead, it is the perfect time to get to know the noble variety that once ruled the wine lists of great restaurants in the same manner chardonnay does today.

We begin with Selbach S Riesling 2007 from the Mosel: a remarkable value for $16. It's going through a vintage, but either '07 or '08 will do. Enjoy its round, elegant, creamy acidity on the palate and its juicy green apple, nectarine skin, slate, petrol, pear and citrus flavours. A fine summer sipping riesling for the patio.

Slate, orange, peach, ripe apple, lime, floral aromas mark the nose of the Lingenfelder Riesling Bird Series 2007 from the Pfalz. Similar orange, lime, smoky, grapefruit/Granny Smith apple flavours dominate the palate. The dry finish is full of juicy acidity, making it food friendly.

The latest CedarCreek Riesling 2008 proves we can get something interesting done in British Columbia and satisfy a broad market. Expect a super fresh bottle with lots of bright acidity up front and throughout, crunchy fruit flavours and plenty of minerality. Now under screwcap, the peachy pineapple flavours streaked with orange jump from the bottle. Delicious.

The grapes for the Gunderloch Fritz's Riesling 2007 are purchased from five growers, all with vineyards on the famous red slate soils of the Rheinhessen. The style is all about balance. At 28 grams of residual sugar, Gunderloch balances off the bright acidity to produce a delicious wine. Eminently sippable, this screwcap white with bright minerality and fresh fruit is tailor-made for the bustling Pan-Asian cuisine of Vancouver or even better with barbecued or pulled-pork dishes.

For a much drier version of this versatile grape look to the Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Trocken QBA 2005 and soon the 2007 will be in stores. Here a petrol, smoky slate, green apple skin, peach nose draws you to the glass. On the palate, it is crisp, round and dry with buttery, nutty, baked apple skin and petrol/smoky flavours. Best with local seafood and sushi.

Many of you will be familiar with the excellent Dr. L Riesling, so I wanted to push you to the next level beyond the introductory label. The Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett 2007 has a floral, peach pit, green apple skin and spicy, citrus nose and palate. Its crisp, juicy, elegant palate, with fine acidity and sugar, is simply wound a bit tighter and the green apple, lime, orange, mineral, peach-pit flavours are brighter. Great fruit and acidity with delicacy makes it difficult to beat.

Price: $16

UPC: 00717215002582

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Juicy green apple, nectarine skin, slate, petrol, pear and citrus flavours.

LINGENFELDER RIESLING BIRD SERIES 2007, PFALZ, GERMANY

Price: $19

UPC: 4017974070003

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Orange, lime, smoky, buttery, grapefruit, granny smith apple flavours.

CEDARCREEK RIESLING 2008, OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C.

Price: $18

UPC: 778913028021

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Now under screwcap, the peachy pineapple flavours, streaked with orange, jump from the bottle.

GUNDERLOCH FRITZ'S RIESLING 2007, RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY

Price: $17

UPC: 04022642000749

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Tailor-made for barbecued or pull-pork dishes.

SCHLOSS REINHARTSHAUSEN RIESLING TROCKEN QBA 2005, RHEINGAU, GERMANY

Price: $20

UPC: 004005055004634

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Dry palate with buttery, nutty, baked apple skin, petrol, smoky flavours.

DR. LOOSEN BLUE SLATE RIESLING KABINETT 2007, MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER, GERMANY

Price: $27

UPC: 183103000570

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Green apple, lime, orange, mineral, slate, spicy, peach-pit flavours.