Product: Bex 2006 Riesling Producer: Bex Winery Approximate Retail Value: $10.95 for 750ml Category: Wine Country of Origin: Germany Reviewer: D. Kearney Sparano The F Words: Flavor – Citrus, slightly floral, a little tart. Feel – Light, moves over the tongue well. Finish – Crisp, clean.

Rating:

When I think of Germany, I don’t necessarily think wine. Beer, definitely. Pretzels, obviously. Strudel, sausages, sauerkraut, and schnitzel, certainly. Wine, not so much. I admit to my ignorance on the subject of German wine. If someone were to ask me to recommend a good one I would shake my head, blubber something unintelligible and then run away in fear. So it was with great interest that I reviewed Bex 2006 Riesling and with great zeal that I researched this wine to better understand what I was drinking.

Riesling is a variety of white grape and it originates in the Rhine region of Germany. It is aromatic with flowery aromas but can lend itself to some acidity. It can run the gambit in terms of white wine, being used for anything between dry and sweet as well as sparkling wines.  Along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, it is considered one of the top three white wine varieties, and is the leading grape variety in Germany. It is very flexible. It can be consumed either when it is young and fruity or, because of the acidity, when it is older. It is considered to be terroir expressive, meaning that it takes on the characteristics of the area it is grown in. Thus it is seldom oaked, meaning that the wood would be introduced to the wine at some point during the production.

According to the site, the grapes come from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer vineyards, which are now simply known as Mosel. The grapes grow on stony slate hillsides. They are handpicked typically around October. As stated before, these grapes never come into contact with oak but are crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Supposedly, the minerals in the soil give the wine notes of fruit, citrus, honeysuckle and organic blossoms. Overall, the site says it should be a refreshing wine.

The aroma is definitely citrus. It is unmistakable, as well as the secondary floral notes. The taste is similar but with an added dimension of tartness. Tartness I assume comes from the aforementioned acidity. It moves over the tongue well, but does hit the back of the tongue most prominently. This can be quite common when drinking a single grape wine. It certainly has a light and refreshing feeling and would be great in the spring and summer. I could see this being paired with something a little spicy in terms of food. Overall, a good product that is fairly tasty.

I feel Bex to be a good wine. Not something that I would want in the fall or winter, though. Its light, refreshing feel leans it toward warmer climates. Those who enjoy a dry white wine might decide to stay away from it. It definitely lends itself to the semi-sweet area of the spectrum. Nothing about it is stellar though, upon first sip I didn’t jump out of my chair or smile broadly. More accurately, I shook my head and cocked an eyebrow. I wouldn’t buy a bottle and save it for a special occasion. Dinner with friends and other casual evenings best suit it.