The Desert Wine Guy - A Pleasent Surprise... A Review of Mirassou Riesling 2010

     This past Monday  I had the opportunity and pleasure I might add of opening up a bottle of Mirassou Riesling of 2010 vintage http://www.mirassou.com/ purchased from the local supermarket.  In keeping with the founding principles of this wine newsletter the wine cost me $10 and on the shelf was a $1 coupon. We are talking about a very reasonably priced bottle of wine. Buying this wine was a departure for me in two ways. The first departure was in the fact that I was purchasing a white wine. My preference seems to gravitate more towards red wines then whites.  The second departure was in the fact that there is no cork sealing the bottle.  Mirassou has decided to go with a screw cap very much to my displeasure.  While the debate rages on concerning which is better, cork or screw cap, I myself prefer a cork since I do believe that wine should hold a more prestigious place in our relaxation or dinner experiences  and a screw cap reminds me of what while growing up we used to call “Jug Wine”. I think we all know the bottles I speak of. The really, really big fat bottles of wine made from what was left after making real wine, the bottles that were always at the very bottom of the shelves. They were the wines our parents use to mix with Sprite or Lemon Lime soda. The entire process from opening up the beautiful hardwood case containing the corkscrew and the foil cutter as well as a bottle stopper is to me very much a part of the wine drinking experience that consuming a bottle of wine should entail. Make no mistake about it. Drinking a bottle of wine should be an experience. From identifying the area where the wine grows to identifying if the wine is a blend of different types of wines or one in particular. I enjoy knowing if I am about to drink a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot. Did the wine sit in Stainless steel or an oak barrel. Whether we spend $10 dollars or $100 dollars we as the drinker, if we truly care about wine wish to know this information. The joys of walking to my wine cellar and simply reaching in and pulling out a bottle is entertaining.  In further continuance of our description of the Mirassou Riesling the rest of the bottle has a yellowish color label with what looks like a sun and gives the feeling of a wine that is bright and fruity.  At the bottom of the bottle is a punt, also known as a kick-up, which refers to the dimple at the bottom of a wine bottle. I myself seem to find that the Punt is only on a better bottle of wine although I do have friends that would debate that.  I have had it explained to me that the Punt serves to make the bottle more friendly to pour since this Punt allows for the thumb to be placed inside of it making the pour more sure and comfortable for the pourer. Having described the overall first contact with our Riesling please allow me to move on the tasting.
      Now we come to the big moment, the tasting.  Having opened the Mirassou Riesling 2010 I immediately poured a small amount into a wine glass that hangs from the wine rack in my kitchen. Having been in the refrigerator for around 2 hours the wine was what I would consider chilled but not cold and once poured into the glass I neither swirled nor looked for bits of debris as is customary, I simply took a small amount into my mouth allowing it to simply coat my tongue where it was held for approximately 20 seconds.  Immediately the peach notes hit my pallet. The wine simply exploded in my mouth with strong hints of Peach, apricots, and apple. The wine finished off on its way down with a hint of spice, not however overpowering only strong enough to compliment the fruit. Together the combination of these flavors made for a delightful glass of wine. In the past I have read wine reviews where the writer would say that a wine “exploded” in his or her mouth but I myself have never experienced that feeling until now. There was no after taste of alcohol or any other flavors that do not belong in a good quality Riesling. I then buried my nose into the glass and detected all the fruit and tastes my mouth had just detected. The fruit indeed was almost as intense to the nose as it was to the pallet, very pleasing and very full of energy.  I did notice that the color of the wine was a slight golden which I felt went right along with the taste.  To me this is a wine you would enjoy on those hot summer days that Las Vegas is known for. Whether enjoying a barbecue with some friends by the pool or just relaxing with the family in the backyard on a bright sunny day, this is the wine I want to have. Mirassou Riesling is a wine to par with chicken or some salmon over a bed of rice with green beans or possibly even a shrimp plate or simply as I did, simply grab a bottle and go to that special room in the house (if you’re lucky enough like me to have one) and just sit back and enjoy this fine Riesling. Having now completed with the formal tasting of the wine I moved right away to relax in that special room with some “Old School” 80’s music, think about my work week that just ended and get more acquainted with my new friend…..Mirassou Riesling.

                                                                                     The Desert Wine Guy