Red Newt Riesling

Red Newt Riesling is a Riesling labeled United States, Massachusetts, from the producer Esplanda. The listing doesn't give a vintage, alcohol level or residual sugar, so check the back label for the sweetness style before you plan a meal around it. Riesling in cool-climate regions is usually made as a light-bodied, high-acid white. Expect citrus and orchard-fruit aromas such as lime, green apple and pear, often with a floral or stony edge. Oak is rarely used, so the wine should taste clean and fruit-driven, with a crisp, lively finish. Tannin is not a factor in a white of this type. Because Riesling's acidity balances both dry and off-dry styles, it handles food that other whites struggle with. If the bottle is dry or only slightly sweet, it suits shellfish, pan-seared white fish, fried clams, and chicken or pork with a fruit or mustard-based sauce. A touch of sweetness is also useful against heat, so mildly spicy Thai, Szechuan or Indian dishes are a good match. Salty, rich foods like ham, soft-rind cheeses and smoked trout work well, since the acidity cuts through fat and salt. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F, which is about two to three hours in a refrigerator or 30 minutes in an ice bath. Colder than that mutes the aromas, and warmer makes the acidity feel sharp. It doesn't need decanting. Pour it from the bottle into a standard white wine glass or a narrower Riesling-style tulip, which concentrates the fruit and floral notes toward the nose. Treat this as a bottle to drink soon after purchase for its fresh fruit and acidity. Some Rieslings can age, but nothing in the details here points to a cellaring wine, so don't count on it improving with years in the cellar.