Of course I’m biased, but I just can’t understand how some people wouldn’t like Riesling, if given the opportunity to try a bottle from a good producer. The best rieslings I’ve had have out shown the best chards, and I’ve had some damn good chards!
Well, measured in terms of dollars spent, Chardonnay apparently outsells Riesling 10 - 1, Pinot Grigio 5 - 1, and Sauvignon 3.5 - 1.
I’m sorry you took it that way, as it was made in jest in that case. Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but I can’t be the only one who can often detect the RS even when it’s “balanced” against acid. It keeps me gun shy for Rieslings I’ve not had previously as I can’t trust the label.
Except he’s clearly gearing it at people who are wine drinkers generally, not people who are only Chardonnay/Riesling drinkers. The casual “I only drink Riesling” wine drinker doesn’t exist.
I can’t tell: are you serious?
In my experience, novices to wine love Riesling. In essence, they don’t know that they are not supposed to like it. Wine experts like people on this board love Riesling because so many taste so good. But, people in the middle who drink wine but don’t know that much about wine have “learned” that they are not supposed to like Riesling because it is sweet and so drink lots of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay instead.
We’ve been drinking a lot more Riesling lately, mostly Alsace but a few Germans.
I avoided it for a long time (similar story for Rose) because I only remembered the sickly sweet dessert wine variant. But after a few really good ones (restaurants, friends, family), I got back into the fold. Now I’m seeking out the Prum, Sipp-Mack, Sparr, and Zind when I can find them.
As to marketing, I think French names are more approachable to Americans than the German designations. I don’t think it’s too far a stretch to assume even the above average American diner knows the difference between a trockenbeerenauslese and an auslese. Importer labels in stores are now better at explaining if it’s supposed to be sweet or dry, some even going into the science of residual sugar or botrytis on the back. Which is great if you know what you’re looking for, but not for people making their selection from a list at a restaurant or the front of the bottle as most do in the store.
I don’t eat candy, I drink wine.