We've had two wines in the past couple of weeks from grapes I'd normally associate with a sweeter wine....
2007 Bodegas Los Bermejos Lanzarote Malvasia Seco (Canary Islands) This shows all the initial characteristics of a really solid muscadet. Lots of sea-breeze and mineral aromas, that initial hit of tart lemon, followed by very crisp, clean grapefruit flavors. The bitter citric finish takes it in a different and quite yummy direction. There is no sign of any r.s. or roundness. This wine shows lots of finesse and is really well balanced.
So the vines in Lanzarote are planted in hollows dug through the volcanic rock to get to decent soil, plant the vine about a meter deep, the cover with crushed volcanic rock as a porous mulch, then a wall of rock is built around the vine for protection. No wonder there is so much minerality.
2006 Jidvei Dry Muscat (Târneve Valley, Romania) Made from muscat ottonel. This wine shows muscat in a decidedly different light. The typical white floral aromas are there but hiding under a layer of cut grass and earth. The flavors are clean and fresh with lemon and grapefruit with very pronounced but controlled acidity. (I really wasn't expecting this to be so crisp...nice surprise!) This has just the slightest trace of r.s. that shows in the mid-palate and it is quite attractive. The finish is short with a hint of bitterness. Overall the wine is pretty simple but at $22 restaurant price it's a nice buy for a refreshing wine.