Domaine Le Seurre Reisling

Le Seurre Riesling is a Massachusetts-grown white from the United States, made from Riesling, a grape with an unusually wide range of styles. The label doesn't say whether this bottling is dry, off-dry or sweet, so check the back label or ask in store if that matters for your meal. Riesling grown in cool New England sites usually has a lean frame and bright, mouth-watering acidity. Expect aromas along the lines of green apple, lime, white peach and a floral lift, sometimes with a wet-stone or faint petrol note as it matures. Oak is rarely part of Riesling's profile. Most examples are fermented in stainless steel or neutral vessels to keep the fruit and acidity clear, and the finish tends to be crisp and citrusy rather than heavy. That acidity makes the wine flexible at the table. If it leans dry, it suits shellfish, fried clam strips, baked cod, roast chicken with lemon and herbs, and soft cheeses such as chèvre. If there is some residual sugar, it handles Thai and Vietnamese dishes, spiced pork, and sweet-and-sour sauces well, because the sugar offsets heat and the acidity keeps rich food from feeling heavy. Serve it well chilled, about 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). That is roughly three hours in the refrigerator, or thirty minutes in an ice bath if you're short on time. Colder service mutes the aroma, while a warm bottle makes the wine taste flabby. Decanting isn't necessary for a young Riesling. Pour it straight from the bottle into a medium-sized white wine glass with a slight taper, which concentrates the citrus and floral aromas without exaggerating the acidity. Treat this as a drink-now bottle unless you know more about the style. Riesling can age in the right conditions, but a Massachusetts bottling like this one is best opened while its fruit is fresh, within a couple of years of purchase.