Shine Zero

The wine

Sweetness is what stays after the fruit has made the introductions. Grape, apricot, and lychee come through as separate aromas, easy to name and not dressed up. The nose does its work and stops. There is no second theme hiding behind the fruit.

The sip turns gently citrusy and lightly sweet. Those two sit together without a quarrel: the citrus keeps the sweetness from tasting like candy, and the sweetness keeps the citrus gentle. Balance here is that modest agreement. It is decent, and it is small. The fruit remains recognizable rather than cooked into a single sweet note, which is why the glass is pleasant to drink and easy to finish.

What holds the score is how simply it ends. That ending is pleasant, and then it is done. The fruit you could name a moment earlier does not turn into a new idea. It stays friendly and lets go. Pour it when you want those fruits said plainly and you do not need the glass to change its mind.

This is a good ordinary glass of dealcoholized Rivaner. Identifiable fruit, a lightly sweet and gently citrusy middle, decent balance, and an exit with nothing further to unravel. Complexity was never the point. The pleasure is that the fruit is clear and the drinking is easy.