2007 Firestone Riesling, Central Coast
VERDICT: "Go for it"
Riesling, 13.0% alc.
$6.99 (Trader Joe's)
www.firestonewine.com
Another decent Riesling, this time from Santa Barbara County, Central Coast California. Available at Trader Joe’s for only $6.99, it is priced the same as my perennial favorite value Riesling from Chateau Ste. Michelle. It is drier though, which I prefer when not pairing it with food.
It has crispness and a clean finish which I like. Just enough melon, honeysuckle and pear on the nose without going overboard into fruit la-la land. I suspect it would pair well with a lemon grass dish, but for now I agree with the winemaker and enjoy it as a sipping wine.
It’s a nice change up to the Chateau Ste. Michelle which offers a sweeter finish, but is a little much on it’s own. The Firestone is also available at Bevmo so if you’re looking for an easy drinking white for the long weekend, try it out.
Meantime, I’m going to buy a few more bottles and see if it stands the test of time on a few more warm, breezy San Jose evenings. I’m hoping that I’ve unconvered yet another decent value, daily drinker. Just in time for summer too.