Every week we choose a wine of the week that compliments mood of the week ahead. This week. Maggy Smith Dip WSET chose  Kung Fu Girl Riesling.

"It takes an unconventional winemaker to make a totally unexpected wine.  Bring on Charles Smith the winemaker with big hair, kick-ass attitude and bold packaging on the bottle.  Born in California this talented winemaker spent eleven years in Scandinavia managing rock bands.  I like to find a winemaker who has had a life before wine.  It makes him different and imaginative.  He came back to Walla Walla Valley in Washington State to make wine which gave a true sense of place and which was at a price point that everyone could enjoy.  This winemaker is self-taught and has consistently been awarded the top accolades for this particular wine.  It’s a steal at the price and will drink nicely into next year.

Evergreen Vineyard in the Ancient Lakes AVA lies along a steep stretch of cliffs above the Columbia River in Washington State.  This is one of the newest sub-regions within the Columbia Valley so named because of the 35 lakes throughout this arid area. This makes for a cooler site due to the river influence and is a fantastic perfect place to grow Riesling (pronounced ree with the S as in secret, not a Z as so many people try to pronounce it).  The soils are complex and date back to the ice age.

I am looking forward to trying this.
In the glass:  Light white gold colour
Nose:  aromatic and begins with very pleasant aromas of green apple, citrus and lime, there’s nectarine, lime leaves, tangerine (I love to smell tangerine in a wine), pineapple, wow!  The nose is powerful.  
Palate:  All the flavours I had on the nose are coming onto the palate in great waves.  I am also tasting white peach.  It has a superb mid-palate intensity with a long-lasting mineral finish.  It’s lean in style but balanced by racy acidity.  A touch of sweetness there but I think it’s more from the fruit than from the residual sugar.  That fruit turns a bit tart with more tropical flavours on the long finish.  Refreshing and very very quaffable.  This is smooth to the very last delicious sip. The Girl Rocks it!

Now stop thinking and start drinking ….. because Kung Fu Girl kicks ass so Charles the winemaker says!!

Matches:  lobster, prawn, any shellfish really, chicken, any Chinese or Thai food, five-spice port or duck and spicy Ramen.

It is going to be a sunny weekend and this would make a perfect aperitif in the garden as we wave goodbye to summer.  Remember we deliver next day, mostly!

Cheers!"

Maggy Smith
Dip. WSET
Member of the Association of Wine Educators
Certified Spanish Wine Educator
Certified Sherry Educator

Click on the link below to purchase

Kung Fu Girl Riesling

Appellation:  Washington State
Screwcap or Stelvin Closure (same thing)
12.5% abv
£15.36 per bottle