WTN: Halbtrocken from Nahe

Thursday Betsy had picked up some flounder filet to go with some broccoli rabe, garlic-rubbed acorn squash and some brown rice. I went downstairs thinking Macon, but sometimes it's more what you feel like opening, and what emerged from cellar was the 2005 Schafer-Frohlich Riesling Halbtrocken (Nahe) (99% sure this is QbA, don't think I saw Kabinett on label). Just a touch of sweetness dancing around, lovely light-bodied wine with a saline note. White and red stone fruit with a solid mineral base, I like this quite a lot for a $15 wine. B+

As an aside, I was really happy with the squash, too. Why do people tend to add brown sugar to something with such natural sweetness? This was just split and cored, rubbed with garlic, seasoned, and then baked on an oiled pan. Yum.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

Dale,

The S-F QbA Halbtrocken is normally a "declassified" kabinett halbtrocken from the Monzinger Halenberg vineyard. The 2004 was (and still is) an outstanding value Riesling, and I'm sure the 2005 is also very fine.

As for adding brown sugar to squash...might be because that's what grandma did, and folks are used to it.

As for adding brown sugar to squash...might be because that's what grandma did

But why did grandma do it?

I agree that slow roasted squash needs no adornment, but having recently suffered through some less-than-pristine end-of-season specimens, perhaps it was intended (like most "sauces/spices") to cover up otherwise inferior/mealy squash.

FWIW, I also find roasted squash to be a great companion to kabinett and spatlese riesling, as the sweetness can sometimes be too much for dry wines.

[David M. Bueker]

As for adding brown sugar to squash...might be because that's what grandma did

But why did grandma do it?

She's dead, and I didn't ask.

The real reason is more like the fact that most produce is picked before it is ready and had a chance to develop that "natural sweetness." So we add sugar to pump up the flavor. Roasting takes care of that problem by concentrating the flavors, but I don't think most folks think about that.

thanks for info, David.
Good thoughts re squash. Damn Grandma, she shoulda just dug a deeper root cellar.