This one gets marks for Unusualicity right off the bat, for two reasons. First, I do believe it is my first Canadian wine. Second, it has honey in it. No, really. 97% Riesling, and 3% honey, according to the label. No, make that three reasons. It lists the ABV as 12.8%. You usually see ABV given to the nearest half percent. I presume it has something to do with Canadian labelling laws, but I can’t be arsed to go and fine out. The grape must and honey are co-fermented.
In the glass
Medium lemon. It’s wine, alright. It does that weird thing that I notice in some white wines, of looking much darker around the rim than the center when you tilt the glass. Make of that what you will.
The nose
There’s something there. Part of my brain says it is honey, but other parts of my brain disagree. That part – the bit that voted for honey – is rather easily led, and I’m pretty sure it was responding to knowing there’s honey in the wine, rather than actually smelling honey. I’ll have a talk, yet again, with it. Anyway, how about melon? That’s what we can go with, I think. Anyway, it has a nose, which is something.
The palate
My first reaction is surprise. It’s not sweet. I don’t think I’d call it bone dry, but I’m not sure I’d even go as far as off-dry. I’ve had kabinett Rieslings that tasted sweeter. At first, it seems to have an almost petillance to it, but that doesn’t really hold up to repeated sips, so once again, maybe I was imagining things. Anyway, it’s also medium-bodied. Nice acidity. The overarching flavour for me is something like lemon sherbert, or lemon drops. Definitely a citrus thing. Some other citrus notes, and perhaps a hint of grapefruit.
Try as I might, I cannot claim to have picked up any honey-inspired aspects to it. That’s not a bad thing. I think, in fact, it’s a good one. Too explicit of a honey element would take away from the charm of the wine, I think. It’s eminently quaffable.
Rating
It’s Wine on visuals, Yummy-Plus on taste. High marks for Unualicity, although I still haven’t formalised that scale.
It goes well with food, although I can’t remember quite what I made to go with it. But it worked. It also stands quite well on its own, or with a warm evening.
I let some friends try the tiny bit that, for some reason, I didn’t finish when tasting, and they both liked it, although I didn’t take notes.
Sustainability
Low intervention (as far as feasible) in the winery.
The technical info
12.8% ABV, Riesling, Honey. £24.99 from King Street Cellar.