Michel Richard Citronelle celebrates Riesling along with 150 Restaurants nationwide in the 2011 Summer of Riesling, proving this acclaimed grape still has it.
By Shannon O’Reilly
Clint Sloan, sommelier at McCrady's and Husk in Charleston, pours glasses of riesling for Summer of Riesling 2011. Photo courtesy of Charleston City Paper.
Over 150 restaurants across the country are participating in the 4th Annual Summer of Riesling, luckily a few of those restaurants celebrating are right in D.C. Through September 22nd, Michel Richard Citronelle will toast to the grape with a featured selection of Riesling by the Glass, which can be viewed on their online menu. The selection includes a diverse mixture of dry, semi-sweet, and sweet Rieslings. Featured wines include the 2009 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Rielsing from Alsace (dry), the 2008 Weingut Dr. Wagner “Ockfener Bockstein” Riesling Spatlese from Germany (semi-sweet), and the 2001 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Eiswein from Germany. Other restaurants participating in the D.C. area are The Jefferson, OYA Restaurant, Proof, Vinoteca Wine Bar & Bistro.
So why is Citronelle and 150 other restaurants raising their glass to the Riesling. The main reason is simply to disprove that this small grape is always sweet. Citronelle’s Master Sommelier Kathy Morgan, says herself that dry German Rieslings are the most dynamic food pairing white wines on the planet. Still have your doubts? Stop by Citronelle this summer and use your wine knowledge to judge for yourself the balance, complexity, delicacy, and overall taste of their selected Rieslings. Vive le Riesling!
