A well-established presence in the Kirkland, Washington, real estate community, David “Dave” Leonti engages as a broker with clients of Keller Williams Realty. Regularly partaking of family gatherings featuring home-cooked Italian dishes, Dave Leonti enjoys Kirkland wine tasting in his free time.
Along with chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, one of the major grape varieties produced in Washington State is Riesling. A white grape variety originally planted in Rhine region vineyards, Riesling is aromatic and flowery, with a crispness that reflects its high acidity. While Rieslings from California and Germany lean toward extreme sweetness, the variety can also have an appealing dryness that reflects its region of origin. Those from Washington and New York State’s Finger Lakes region, as well as Austria and Alsace in France, are typically dry.
The popular appeal of Riesling dates back to the 15th century when German nobility gained a taste for the variety, which was found, like Chardonnay, to age well over the course of a century or more. In addition to acidity, another reason for this is related to the chemical compound TDN. The petrol-like smell, as a result, can seem off-putting to some, but sommeliers value it as an indicator of the underlying quality of the wine.
Along with chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, one of the major grape varieties produced in Washington State is Riesling. A white grape variety originally planted in Rhine region vineyards, Riesling is aromatic and flowery, with a crispness that reflects its high acidity. While Rieslings from California and Germany lean toward extreme sweetness, the variety can also have an appealing dryness that reflects its region of origin. Those from Washington and New York State’s Finger Lakes region, as well as Austria and Alsace in France, are typically dry.
The popular appeal of Riesling dates back to the 15th century when German nobility gained a taste for the variety, which was found, like Chardonnay, to age well over the course of a century or more. In addition to acidity, another reason for this is related to the chemical compound TDN. The petrol-like smell, as a result, can seem off-putting to some, but sommeliers value it as an indicator of the underlying quality of the wine.
