Looking for a really good white wine that won't get you too tipsy and goes with seafood? Try riesling, one of the world's noble grape varieties.
It's easy to spot riesling on the shelves because it comes in long, slim bottles that are green, blue or brown.
The word 'riesling' means 'hard wood' and refers to the vines, which have strong, hard arms that protect the grapes from the cold. Riesling is grown in the cool climates of New Zealand, the United States, Austria, Australia and, of course, France. But it is in Germany that it is king. The country can be quite chilly so the grapes have trouble ripening but, when they do, they develop elegant, complex flavours and the wines have very low levels of alcohol.
Robert Weil Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese 2008
Riesling doesn't get any better than this. Like high-quality lace, the Kiedrich Grafenberg gives the appearance of sheer ephemeral fragility but is underlain with a ten- sile structure belying its delicacy. Rieslings are among the lightest white wines but this one has a delicate weight and power that could be verging on full-bodied. Endless length with unmistak- able class and elegance. It can be served with a wide range of graceful Cantonese haute-cuisine dishes but is equally at home with spicy fried rice.
Available for HK$539 at Ponti Wine Cellars (tel: 2810 1000)
Braune Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Fritz Haag 2008