Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Hot day, Riesling & BBQ Shrimp

It is hot across the Southern US today from Orlando, Florida to Phoenix, Arizona, from Austin, Texas to Las Vegas, Nevada.  At the end of a long day of work, what better to sit back, put up your feet with a fan blowing a cool breeze and sipping on a nice glass of wine?  That’s right, I said wine!  There is a wine for every occasion and on a hot day, why not try a crisp, sweet Riesling to refresh you? 

If you are unfamiliar with brands, I can assure you that most mid level restaurants will feature Chateau Ste. Michelle by the bottle and glass.  It is a great example of a Riesling with a nice hint of peach.  This winery is located in Washington; a bottle from the store runs about $10 all the way up to $35 for their late harvest – even sweeter! 

If you are in the mood to be a little more adventurous, why not head over to the BevMo 5cent sale and pick up a couple different types to try.  Pac Rim and Cresta Blanca are two California Rieslings featured in the sale and seem to have some great reviews.  If you try them, please let me know what you think!

Lastly, if you are on a budget, pick up a bottle of Liebfraumilch at Trader Joe’s for less than $5.  It uses at least 70% Riesling, Silvaner or Müller-Thurgau grapes and is delicious!  We used this for my bridal shower 6 years ago in August and have been enjoying it with friends ever since!

Spicy foods pair great with sweet wines.  If you want to try one of the Rieslings mentioned above, I recommend throwing some shrimp on the BBQ!  Use a slightly spicy BBQ sauce and serve with some rice.  Presto you have an excellent meal.  Wine serves as an aperitif and dessert.  Enjoy!