Quick Sip: Brad’s Stick Dog Riesling 2008

Hello Friends,

This week’s quick sip is Brad’s Stick Dog Riesling 2008, produced by award-winning winemaker Brad McCarthy. I first discovered Brad’s Stick Dog Riesling a few months ago at the 34th Annual Virginia Wine Festival with wine bloggers and friends, John and Megan Witherspoon . After a swirl, sniff, and sip of this wine at the Mountfair Vineyards booth, we were like, “nice, this Virginia Riesling is bringing it!” Needless to say, we all came away from the booth with a bottle of Stick Dog Riesling, as well as some of Mountfair’s delicious Bordeaux-style red blends.

Brad's Stick Dog Riesling 2008

Riesling is considered to be one of the world’s top white-wine grape varieties and is one of the few white wines that have the potential to gain complexity with age. In my visits to Virginia tasting rooms, it’s not too often that I come across a Riesling. Instead, I typically find it used in refreshing white wine blends with catchy names - and this is not too common either. The best examples of Riesling, as least for my taste, come out of its homeland of Germany, as well as France (Alsace), and Washington State. To be quite honest, when I think of Riesling, I generally would not think of Virginia. The few examples I have had in the past have been okay, but didn’t move me. With that being said, Virginia has diverse soils and varying microclimates, so if the site is right and it is a good vintage year, you just may end up with what we have here in the bottle – the Brad’s Stick Dog Riesling 2008.

In the glass, the Brad’s Stick Dog Riesling 2008 displays a pale straw color with green hues. The swirl and sniff offers delicate stone fruit (peach & apricot) and citrus aromas with subtle floral and mineral nuances. On the sip, the wine is bright with pleasant acidity and a refreshing touch of effervescence. The aromas carry onto the palate finishing clean and crisp with a dash of sweetness. Enjoy this wine on its own or with (spicy) ethnic cuisine. The low alcohol (11% alcohol by volume) and good acidity makes this wine extremely versatile and food-friendly. Brad McCarthy’s white wines (Chardonnay & Riesling) can be found at Mountfair Vineyard's tasting room in Crozet. The wine is priced at $15, which is a pretty good value. If you know where else Brad’s wines can be found, feel free to post the location. Get out and get some Stick Dog Riesling in your glass and be sure to drop me a line and let me know what you think, friends.

Stay tuned friends ...Next winery review: Del Fosse Vinyards and Winery!

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