Some cuisines are best served with white wines like Riesling, and this value-priced white will complement an array of intricate dishes. I liked its subtle sweet fruit flavors of ripe pear and stone fruits, nicely balanced by the bright Meyer lemon notes. It leans to the dry side with Asian food, but highly spiced food makes the wine taste sweeter. It’s a white you can enjoy as an aperitif before dinner or with semi-soft or nutty cheese afterward. I like this with Asian and Mexican cuisines, but it would be equally delicious with roast chicken or turkey. Only $12 retail, it’s available at El Rancho Market Pismo Beach or the tasting room in Santa Maria Valley at the beginning of Foxen Canyon Road.
This article appears in Jan 31 – Feb 7, 2013.