Friday, July 26, 2013

Wine Country Texas: Messina Hof Riesling

Messina Hof Winery & Resort came into being in 1977, truly in the pioneer days of modern Texas winemaking.  Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo's family trees both figure into the company's name.  Bonarrigo traces his roots back seven generations, to Messina, Sicily, while his wife's folks are from Hof, Germany.
The Messina Hof Riesling Father and Son Cuvée 2011 is a blend of Riesling and Moscato.  The wine contains a low 11.5% alcohol and retails for an even lower number, $11.  The wine's name, Father and Son Cuvée, signifies that it was the first wine produced by Paul VI and Paul VII as a team.  You don't see a succession like that very often outside of the Vatican.
Pale gold in the glass, this Texas High Plains Riesling shows notes of apricots, pears and peaches on the nose, with a spray of honeysuckle on the side.  The bouquet is liberally graced with an earthy, petrol aroma.  Earth carries through on the palate, but it has to compete harder with the fruit flavors.  The petrol hits the taste buds, with peach and pear flavors holding their own.  The acidity is decent enough to handle salads or light fish while not getting in the way of a great sipping wine.  This should be a welcome addition to any time spent on a Texas back porch this summer.


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