If we could only pair one grape varietal with food for eternity, we’d choose Riesling. For some strange reason, Riesling has acquired a reputation in America for producing “sugary” or “sweet” wines, when in reality, most bottles of Riesling are actually bone dry. Regions all over the world are producing stellar Rieslings, such as the Finger Lakes in New York and the Clare Valley in Australia. But today, we’re focusing on the motherland of the varietal: Germany. From bone dry to sugary sweet, we’re pairing 10 recipes all over the flavor profile spectrum that bring out the joys of German Riesling.
Grab a bottle and get to cooking!
EASY SESAME CHICKEN
Riesling and Asian cuisine are a quintessential pairing; light residual sugar in Riesling balances out the sweet and spicy flavors of many Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese dishes. Look for a dry to off-dry bottle of Riesling for your next homemade take-out night.
LEMON CHICKEN
The strong mineral presence in a dry German Riesling plays beautifully off the zesty lemon flavors of this classic chicken dish.
SHRIMP AND MANGO TACOS
An off-dry Riesling with light residual sugar will mesh beautifully with the sweetness in the mango. Who said #TacoTuesdays had to come with margaritas?!
CHILI, LIME, AND CUMIN COD
With this particular cod preparation, you could really get away with a dry or off-dry bottle. The flinty minerality of a dry bottle will complement the tangy lime flavors, while the sweetness of an off-dry bottle will play off the heat in the chili. You can’t go wrong with either.
CITRUS COLESLAW
The minerality and acidity paired with zesty citrus notes will be just sublime.
SPICE RUBBED SALMON WITH HERB & POMEGRANATE RAITA
Residual sugar is key to this food and wine pairing; not only does the sweetness complement the pomegranate flavors; it also tones down the heat of the spice rub on the fish.
HOMEMADE CALIFORNIA ROLLS
Riesling and Asian cuisine just go together. An off-dry bottle will play beautifully with the crab meat, while also cooling down the flame of the ginger and wasabi that we love with our sushi.
LOBSTER ROLL
Imagine a super-chilled bottle of off-dry Riesling paired with creamy, sweet lobster meat on a hot summer day. No better beach-eating experience was ever curated.
CARAMELIZED PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE TARTS
When it comes to dessert wines, trockenbeerenauslese Rieslings — super-sweet, late-harvest wines — are some of the most delicious (and expensive) wines in the world. Dessert wines, specifically sweet Rieslings, are heavenly with the pungent flavors of blue cheese.
PEACH COBBLER
Who says you can’t have your dessert and drink it too? Pair a Riesling with a fruit-based dessert to really bring out the flavors of both.
By: Vicki Denig
(Grabbed from: http://vinepair.com/articles/10-dishes-to-bring-out-the-joys-of-german-riesling/)