Yes, Riesling is indeed the King of white wine varietals. For versatility in styles from bone dry to off-dry and intensely sweet and often complex; with greater versatility in pairing across cuisines, from subtle European dishes to hot Oriental fare; across variety in the plate, from delicate light dishes to full-bodied meats Rieslings can handle them all in way that no white varietal can handle…for that matter no red varietal can match Riesling’s versatility in pairing.
Combine that with the varied terroir offered by the confluence of the Rhine & Mosel rivers and German precision & process excellence and you can begin to understand the genesis of the title of this letter. Finally there is the monumental capacity of the varietal, when treated properly, to age for decades.
Riesling’s fall from grace has its genesis in the growth of the UK market in 80’s. Until then the refined classes drank wine in the UK and it was either ‘Claret’ as they popularly call Bordeaux wines or Riesling. When the bourgeois took to wine, it was the light sweet wines that they sought out and the Germans were only too happy to transport shiploads of cheap sweet wines, ‘alluringly’ labeled Leibfraumilch and Blue Nun, across the English Channel. The Germans kept the good stuff for themselves. The consumers’ tastes however quickly evolved and the result was that German wines gained a poor reputation in the bargain. Despite the best efforts of the greatest critics around the world the Germans have not been able to shake off this image.
The critics in the meantime chuckle and enjoy the incredible value that these great wines offer.
Your Managing Committee have conjured up a spectacular selection of Rieslings that we are certain will make us all, also, chuckle with delight.
To test Riesling’s great flexibility in pairing we are making our way on Sunday the 20th of February at 1.00 pm to Bombay’s best garden, at the Poolside of the Leela Kempinski Hotel. Appetisers from kitchens of the south of India, the fabulous variety of dosas and aapams that only the Leela achieves at levels of excellence in our city, given the strong Kerala lineage, will begin the pairing exercise. We will then move inside to the comforts of the beautifully appointed Jamavar with its thoroughly researched and delectable menu where we will take the exercise to the next level. Jamavar, tucked away in north Bombay, is definitely, to my mind, one of the finest Indian dining experiences in the country and has remained hidden from those living in south Bombay.
Fellow member Aishwariya Nair from the owner’s family has taken great care in selecting signature dishes for her menu, working closely with the grand chefs at the Leela. She has also arranged for the use of the Spa facilities at a great discount for members who choose to arrive a little earlier and take advantage of her generosity.
Please see the full invitation here.