Just in time for Thanksgiving come a couple of extra food-friendly rieslings from Germany that definitely bring their game-face.

Most reasonable wine lovers I know of don’t really care so much where a good wine comes from in as much as they care about good wine at a reasonable price. In that regard, the wine world has paid attention to the market in a lot of ways and we’re seeing more wines coming from well-regarded wine regions from all over the world, releasing wines that offer exceptional value.

Many regard Germany as the riesling capital of the world and for good reason – it has the heritage and pedigree of making some of the world’s best for centuries. The terroir, history and German know-how have traditionally produced rieslings that are sought after around the world.

In this review, I take a look at two wines that were sent to us by the Wines of Germany group – a marketing company who has the mission of perpetuating wines from that region into different markets.

2007 Dr. Von Bassermann-Jordan Riesling – W.E.P. Rating: 110%

• Price: $17-$20
• Alcohol 12.5%

Nose: Apricots, river stone, citrus peel, blood oragne zest, capt. crunch crumbs.

Taste: Excellent acidity with apricots, mango, blood orange, lemon zest and a superb, clean finish. This is an extremely acidity riesling that’s incredibly food-friendly. Excellent mid-palate transistion with a green-apple-like finish that hangs around quite nicely.

2007 St. Urbans-Hof Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling – W.E.P. Rating: 90%

• $20-$30
• Alcohol: 8%

Nose: Good amount of blue-stone, flint, apple core, spice., orange zest and pears.

Taste: Definitely a higher sugar level going on in this wine, however, it’s not overly sweet. It still has a clean mouth-feel and doesn’t leave your tongue coated with sugar. The heavy apple and pear components are coming through along with a hint of sweet and spice that lingers around for awhile. This would be a stellar wine with spicy asian foods or even some of the more herbaceous dishes at Thanksgiving.

It should go without saying that Germany produces some of the finest white wines in the world and has been doing so longer than we’ve been a country. Its history in making great white wines is often reflected in the quality of juice that comes from many of its top regions. 

Two wineries that have good distribution throughout the USA are Lingenfelder and Valckenberg – each produce affordbale wines that will enlighten many wine-lovers who haven’t tried German wines.

2007 Valckenberg “Baron K” Riesling – W.E.P. Rating: 100%

Technical Data:

• Alcohol: 11%
• Residual Sugar: 2.71%
• Acidity: .82%
• Grape variety: 100% Riesling
• Price: $16

Nose: Attack of grapefruit pulp, lemons and limes – almost like a 7-up-ish nose. I also pick up nice hints of yicama and a white-pepper-laced rock. 

Taste: Take some desert sand and slap it inside citric fruit then top it with hints of white pepper and that’s what’s going on in this glass. The finish on this wine is incredible as it has a great bit of complexity to it – it finishes both dry and a bit sweet at the same time. This is one of the better Rieslings I’ve had in awhile. 

2007 Lingenfelder Riesling – W.E.P. Rating: 100%

Technical Data:

• Alcohol: 10.5%
• Grape variety: 100% Riesling
• Price: $16

Nose: Lemon peel, river-rock, lime, kiwi, pineapple and bananna.

Taste: Awesome layers of tropical fruit on the front to mid palate – bananna peel, kiwi and lemon zest – across the mid palate it opens up more to some bananna and Capt. Crunch which finishes with some nice hints of wet stone and limestome. 

If you want to see what good-tasting, low-alcohol wines can offer-up then I’d highly encourage you to seek both of these wines – they represent a really good value in today’s commonly over-priced market.