Dr Loosen Bernkastler Lay Riesling 2007

Dr Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Kabinett 2007 (Mosel, Germany)
Screwcap, $30

Thai Beef Salad. Its a delicious dish that, when done well, matches crunchy fresh salad with warming spicy beef. One of our local Thai restaurants (there are at least 10 within a 5km radius. Quite ridiculous really) does an excellent rendition that is superbly minty, spicy and refreshing all at once. The challenge is finding something to drink with it. Singha is the go-to choice, but I think an off dry Riesling also works superbly well. Hence the desire for a wine like this.

Green , just straw yellow in colour (and sealed in a screwcap) this looks bright & youthful. The nose is immediately identifiable as off dry German Riesling, with the honey suckle, pink grapefruit and citrus character that so many show – its a distinctive and attractive (to Riesling lovers) nose. The palate is unevolved, broad and at first seems dominated by simple candied citrus & barley sugar sweetness. There is acidity to back this up, but it also seems a little cloying and the balance is skewed towards simple crystalline honey residual sugar. Drinkable and refreshing when served very cold with the Thai Beef Salad, but would have been hard work without food.

After about an hour this opened up and the palate filled out, giving some creamy limey-ness, the balance much more natural and less candied. The message here then is that this either needs a few years in the bottle to come together or a decent decant. 16+