Old Favorites--Finger Lakes Riesling

Once upon a time, it seemed like all we drank was Finger Lakes Riesling. It was a great introduction to wine for us: we started with the simple sweet wines, progressed to more interesting dry versions soon after, then began to appreciate the more carefully crafted depths of the semi-drys that showcase great wine making. We now feel like semi-experts on Rieslings out of the Finger Lakes region, and have continued exploration in other regions and varietals. But, every once in a while, we just have to come back to our old favorite.

There may not be a "native" cuisine of New York State to pair with Riesling, but fortunately it's a versatile wine. The sweeter styles work well with spicy dishes or with dessert, while the dry style is great for sipping or pairing with fattier dishes. We decided on a bottle with a fish stew. Mixed with rice, veggie, and a spicy sauce, the stew was a light and spicy concoction, perfect for a crisp and sweet Riesling. In this case, the spice really brought out the sweeter fruit flavors in what was a pretty crisp wine on its own.

At this point, we enjoy the comfort that comes with sharing a bottle of an old favorite, even though, with all our work at growing our wine knowledge, we've increased our options for wine selection tenfold since the days of our first post. Not every glass has to be "an adventure."