With a fresh fall breeze in the air, it is never too early to start dreaming of the smell of roast turkey, and the bounty of Thanksgiving. For me, turkey means Riesling wine, and in the past that has always been one of the great Riesling wines from the Mosel area of Germany. In the last few years, though, there have been some pretty good challengers coming out of the Columbia River Valley in the state of Washington. We are also finding more and more people enjoying Riesling with a much bigger variety of foods.

We recently enjoyed some fresh Coho Salmon fillets broiled with lemon, butter and garlic, and the wine we paired it with had a salmon on the label. It was the 2007 Flying Fish Riesling from the Columbia Appleation of Washington, and it was a wonderful match for our salmon off the grill. The leaping, or "flying" salmon on the label is a symbol of the winery and its connection with donating money to the Ocean Conservancy to promote healthy ocean life. Of course, salmon are no better represented in the world, than in the Columbia River system. I have watched thousands make their way through the locks at the Bonneville Damn on the Columbia.

This Riesling is bright and fresh with an abundant floral aroma suggesting apricots and lemon zest.  The flavors abound with fruit dominated by apples and tropical fruits. The finish is crisp without any lingering sweetness, which is sometimes the downfall of Rieslings paired with some foods. Someone once asked me to give a brief description of the taste of Riesling, and I replied that it was close to the flavor of eating a sweet white grape with just a little crisp acidity at the end. This wine was great with our salmon, and would pair well with a number of fish and fowl dishes, especially turkey!

WORLD BEVERAGE 400
6190 Highway 400
Cumming, GA 30040
678-513-6284
www.worldbeverage400.com