Bad News First: Well, a German Riesling should really have that nice basement smell to it with a touch of steel and sweetness, especially if it is dry (trocken). The Dr. Loosen Riesling overdoes it a bit on the sugar, but an $8 bottle from one of Germany’s top producers should be bought no matter what.

Now the Good: Everything is where it should be. Yellow-green color is wonderful to look at. Honeysuckle perfectly describes the smell. In fact, stand in the middle of a big shrub of honeysuckle, with plenty of green leaves, and you have this wine. Cut grass salad with lemon and honey. Gross to eat, wonderful to smell. Long, fantastic finish with a slightly bitter twist at the end. Absolutely perfect. Eat something with it or enjoy it alone.

With Food: As rieslings go, they are pretty much the only wine that can handle spicy foods, but like I said above, this could be enjoyed alone.

Note: Don’t chill the wine too much. It should be cool, but not enough to cause a ton of condensation on the glass, otherwise you won’t taste what this great grape has to offer.

$7.99 at WineLibrary.com

Visit the Dr. Loosen website here.

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