Guntrum Blue Riesling

Guntrum Blue Riesling is a Riesling listed under the Massachusetts appellation in the United States. The label gives no sweetness level, vintage or alcohol figure. Check the bottle before you plan a pairing around dryness. Riesling as a grape usually shows high acidity, citrus and orchard-fruit aromas such as lime, green apple and pear, and often a floral or stone-mineral edge. Expect that general profile here, not a measured one for this bottle. The grape is also made in styles from bone-dry to noticeably sweet, and the acidity is what keeps the sweeter versions from tasting heavy. Serve it well chilled, around 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). Roughly three hours in the refrigerator, or 30 minutes in an ice bucket, gets it there. Colder than that mutes the fruit and floral aromatics. A standard white wine glass with a slightly tapered rim works well, because it gathers the aromas. Pour about a third of the glass so there is room to swirl. Riesling is generally a good match for dishes with heat, salt or sweetness. It suits Thai and Szechuan cooking, spiced curries, sushi and shellfish. It also works with pork, roast chicken with fruit-based sauces, and salty cheeses such as feta or aged washed-rind types. If the bottle turns out to be off-dry, spicy food is where that style does its best work. If it is dry, treat it like a crisp aperitif or pair it with lighter seafood. It is a wine to drink on its own terms, so skip the mixers. If you want a lighter serve, a small splash of sparkling water in a wine spritzer is the only dilution that makes sense. Once opened, recork or use a stopper and keep it in the refrigerator. Finish it within a few days, while the acidity and aromatics are still fresh. *(Note: the request described a rum, but the product details identify a Riesling wine, so this copy was written for the wine.)*