Every now and then, I want a drink that offers no challenges and one that isn’t going to let me down. If it's a red wine I fancy, then my go to pal is Merlot because you have to be a real plonker to make a bad one, but for whites, it's far more restricted by country and even region.
If you haven’t guessed, it’s Mosel Riesling and particularly the Kabinetts with their medium style, almost perfumed nose and their waxy, almost sexy palates. Germany makes some of the best white wines in the world, with prices to match, but the wines of the Mosel are generally fairly sensibly priced and when you add that to their reliability, it's a cracking match.
I guess there's something in the stories of the sun kissing all those vines on the hills overlooking the river after all.
Read more: Wine with Gerard Richardson: Chablis is in a class of its own
So, what should you expect? Well, apart from the above, expect a level of minerality about the palate with freshly cut apples and an unusually long finish for a white, and if you can afford to throw in a lobster or some crab meat then ooh la la or whatever the German version is.
Definition Riesling Kabinett, Mosel
A lot of wine for a small price folks, with a floral scent on the nose and layer upon layer of tropical fruits on the palate. Absolutely delicious and well done Majestic Wines.
Majestic £11.99 mix 6 or £13.99 per bottle
Dr L Grey Slate Riesling
Pound for pound, this is probably the best you can buy and it's never let me down. A beautiful wine with hints of white peach and apples and a refreshing touch of minerality. Lovely.
waitrosecellar.com £9.99
www.richardsonsofwhitehaven.co.uk
@gerardfinewine
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