0% Riesling

The wine

Lime, citrus blossom, and mandarin. The nose is bright and lifted, and it is Riesling before it is anything else. Nothing tropical crowds it, and nothing yeasty either.

The palate is off-dry and light. Citrus fruit sits on a slim frame, and the balance is the success: sweetness does not run ahead of the lime. A little extra grape character in the middle keeps it from tasting thin, without turning the wine into juice. Acidity is present and polite. It is not a tart, bracing Riesling, and it is not a sweet one.

Fresh and citric on the way out, shorter than a Riesling that still has its alcohol. That is the trade. The fruit stays recognizable on the way out. Serve it well chilled. Warm, the blossom moves forward and the lime goes soft.

This is a New Zealand Riesling that still tastes like the grape. The aroma is the strongest part. The finish is the limit. Drink it when you want that lime-and-mandarin line and can accept a shorter end. Well chilled, the blossom stays a lift instead of a perfume, and the wine is at its best. The lime is the part that lasts. Mandarin stays in support of the lime.