Von Schleinitz Riesling at Kings Wine Bar: A wintery white drink of the week

Kelly Moritz

German riesling is a surprisingly satisfying winter sipper

Von Schleinitz Riesling 2008
Kings Wine Bar
$9/glass, $27/bottle

What else is there to do when faced with layers of sheer ice on every walking surface but granny-shuffle into the nearest neighborhood bar for some liquid relief? If that local watering hole happens to be the decidedly undivey Kings Wine Bar, it would be downright criminal not to settle in with something from the vine. With winds whipping subzero chills just out the window, make the unconventional choice to eschew those full, jammy reds for a riesling. The von Schleinitz 2008 Riesling peeks through the palate like the sun through heavy clouds and will become your new chilly-day go-to.

Jessica and Mary Beth, our wine guides of the evening, were underwhelmed by our initial request for an after-dinner tawny port, but effusive with their praise of an oft-underrated (stateside, at least) German wine. "It's this stupid dry Minnesota air in winter that makes you crave something refreshing," they counseled. Sold.

The VS 2008 was a thirst-quenching delight, a welcome change from the denser, darker wines often associated with winter imbibing. Sweet with ripe pear and creamy on the tongue, it finishes with a tart crispness, refreshing acidity, and just the slightest hint of effervescence. And thanks to the relatively low alcohol content of riesling, you won't find yourself on your behind when you hit the slippery pavement at bar close. Sipping on this nuanced charmer was like tasting the best parts of a dainty snowfall, all fresh and light and romantic: Winter idealized, just the way we wish it could be.

Location Info

Venue

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Kings Wine Bar

4555 Grand Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN

Category: Music

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