If you were able to read my post yesterday on the first two wines of the Whole Foods Top 10 Summer Wine list, you may have noticed that I did not include any prices for the wines that I reviewed. Usually I do include prices because I think it’s a useful thing to know in considering whether or not you’re planning to buy a wine. In this case, however, all the Whole Foods Top 10 Summer wines are under $20 (at least at my local Whole Foods), so I decided to leave the prices out of the write-ups. For me, at least, if I like a wine and it’s under $20, it’s always worth buying again. It’s when wines get into the $20+ category that I add a little scrutiny to my purchasing process.The next two wines on the list are again two whites. I was surprised by how many white wines were on the list – 6 whites, 3 reds and 1 rose (there are 5 reds on the full list of 12), but I guess that’s due primarily to it being a summer list. If I had to decide right now which I liked better, the Holiday Top 10 or the Summer Top 10, I would have to say the Holiday because I tend to like red wines better than whites. But, this list has definitely forced me to take a look at some whites, which is always good. The key to wine is knowing what you like, but not getting too stuck in your ways – if you do, you’ll never be able to find the next wine you love just as much as the one you love now. And, thus starts the endless and expensive journey for wine lovers.
Today's post will focus on Rudolf Müller “Bunny” Riesling and V-Solo Verdejo.
Rudolf Müller “Bunny” RieslingI was excited to try this one. I’ve really been enjoying some dry Riesling’s lately (as has the rest of the world, it seems) and I have not had much time to test out any German offerings, which I hear are some of the best.
The nose on this wine is very nice, with peach, grass and sweet floral notes. On first sniff, I thought that this might be a sweet Riesling, one of my most feared white wines (just not for me, I guess)…but, once it hit my mouth, I knew I had a dry(er) one on my hands. Delicious peach, pear and lime, with good acidity and just a touch of sweetness (more than I usually like in Riesling, but still subtle enough that I could enjoy the wine). Overall, this is one of the clearest wines I’ve ever seen, like a glass of water, with just a touch of lemon juice in it...looked a lot like a glass of Bud Light sitting next to a glass of Mack & Jack. I like this wine, one of the few white wine Top 10 bottles that I ended up finishing. Still a tad too sweet for me, but overall a nice, refreshing white wine
What Whole Foods has to say: Floral, fruity and flirtatious with crisp peach, pear and light acidity, this drier-style Riesling is a splendid apéritif and the perfect match with lighter seafood and salads, Asian spiced cuisine or full-flavored cheeses such as Aged Hirtenkase.
What you should do: Buy it. This one I really enjoyed. And, now I have even more reason to go and out explore the world of German Rieslings. If any of you have suggestions on what I should try in that area, let me know.
My rating: 87
V-Solo Verdejo
For me, the V-Solo is an average white wine, one that’s nice to have around the house on a warm summer day, sure to not offend guests, but also one that I wouldn’t hesitate to pour into a sauce if it required white wine. Kind of like the neighbor down the street that you say hello to every morning, but never really think about until you need to borrow his tools. Nice enough guy, but, I’ve got enough friends at the moment. His name is V-Solo. [Although, on a side note, if my neighbor’s name was actually V-Solo, I would definitely be curious about him, but that’s not the case and I digress…]Very sweet on the nose, with tons of watermelon and cantaloupe, then apricot and peach and then lemon and lime and on and on – this one was like a massive fruit bowl, sans the flies. Same fruit in the mouth, but really heavy on the lemon/lime and citrus. This one is a true pucker wine, like sucking on a lemon drop. High acidity and definitely tart, but also refreshingly light and crisp. I drank it after being out of the refrigerator for ½ hour or so, but if I had it again, I think it would drink it as cold as I could to help tighten up (or mask) the tartness.
What Whole Foods has to say: With its zesty acidity and fruity disposition this vivacious Spanish sipper is a welcome guest to any occasion. Floral aromas and hints of gooseberry, lime and citrus will dazzle the palate. Plays well alone or with others—especially seafood, shellfish or nutty, slightly sharp Robusto cheese.
What you should do: Buy a few others first. Like I said, this one is nice to have around the house, for many reasons, but falls middle of the pack for me on the Summer Top 10.
My rating: 84
If you’ve had either of these, let me know what you think.
I picked up a bottle of V-Solo last month and it turned out to be my new favorite summer wine. I love the tart fruitiness. It's crisp and light.
The price is excellent too. I was back in the area of Whole Foods this morning and picked up 6 more bottles.
glad you enjoyed it. overall, thought the top ten was pretty strong, but i think my favorite was either the riesling or the gruner veltliner.