Fifty lashes with a wet noodle

I've been not only a terrible wineblogger lately, but also a terrible wine-drinker. Oh, I've been drinking wine off and on these past few weeks, but I've not paid much attention to what I was quaffing. This is an injustice I will work to correct this week.

Kimbrough is having a white sale on 2004 vintages, and, against my better judgment, I dropped $60 on several cheap bottles of Riesling this afternoon (I don't have the money for such a splurge, but, well, I can't return them now, can I?). My intention is to sample various vintages and vintners' offerings this coming week. I don't know if there is a term for tasting lots of wines from the same grape. It's not technically a horizontal tasting, since I jumped outside 2004 for at least one bottle. Anyway, I really like Riesling, so I'm excited to see how the grape's expression will vary from region to region — I've got a Southeastern Australia Riesling, two German Rieslings (one medium sweet and one medium dry), and an Alsatian Riesling lined up. All were purchased for around $10 (this is the unofficial theme of this blog, in case you haven't noticed; I don't venture upwards of $15 ... ever).

Tonight I cracked open the medium dry Riesling, hoping like hell it wouldn't be like the dismal Louis Guntrum dry Riesling experience that nearly put me off Riesling altogether. Blech. That crap was terrible. It still makes me think I was sipping liquefied latex gloves.

Thankfully, this Polka Dot German Riesling is vastly less offensive than the Guntrum. In fact, I dare say this Polka Dot stuff is tasty. Still pretty sweet to be medium-dry (which I interpret, perhaps incorrectly — so say so in the comments — as meaning somewhere between sweet and dry), but much more pleasant as an aperitif than some other Rieslings I've experienced. I have to say, though, the Polka Dot seems to be in keeping with its label aesthetic; it seems frivolous and fun, perfect for swilling at girly get-togethers and never to be taken too seriously. It almost tastes like California Pinot Grigio to me — lots of fruity notes (apple, apricot, etc.) with some honey, but enough acidity to balance it out quite nicely.

And it's super cheap. I'm not sure which I prefer — the medium-dry or the medium-sweet. Stay tuned and maybe I'll be able to suss it out this week. Also to come: My first entanglement with a true Alsatian Riesling.