Who wants to turn on the stove or oven in the summer!? The hot weather steers us in the direction of a chilled white wine. What better pairing than a nice Riesling with sushi?
My family has enjoyed sushi for almost a century, long before it became popular on the U.S. epicurean scene. Growing up in Taiwan, a variety of inexpensive Asian cuisine was readily available. Living in metropolitan cities also exposed us to more cutting edge foods before they were mainstreamed into American fusion restaurants. But spending $100 on sushi was not a common occurrence in spite of our frequent craving for it. Then, one recent winter, I finally found the time to make sushi at home. Its a breeze, once all the ingredients are assembled. And the end result is a tummy filling labor of love that our family and friends truly appreciate.
If there was ever a classic wine and food pairing, Riesling with Asian is it. We love the Urban Riesling. This modern-styled Riesling is from St. Urbans-Hof winery, a lovely property in the Mosel area of Germany. A pure and true expression of Mosel character, it has a nice minerality from the blue slate soil along with a flavorful light elegance. Racy, fruity and crisp with floral notes, this off-dry white gets your gastric juices flowing and can stand up to a wasabi dunk. Prosit. Chill. Enjoy.
Find it in Teller Wines' Sweet and Tart flavor profile. There are two styles of the St. Urbans-Hof Rieslings ranging from $17.99 to $24.99.
I was in Taiwan in 2010 ( and loved it). I found that there had been a long connection with Japan (due partly to the Japanese having occupied the island for a long time, and not only during World War II). It was surprising that the Taiwanese didn’t feel the animus toward Japan that characterizes some other Asian countries. Re sushi, I wonder if its presence in Taiwan was due to this Japanese presence.