"Riesling" news and stories

• Zombies, witches, and ghosts, step aside: The scariest Halloween character is the candy.
• Verjuice is the latest power ingredient? That's just sour grapes.
• Yes, German wines are "hellishly difficult," but so what? Drink your riesling.
• And if you're in Limoges, eat your innards.
• The Lambs Club has, as the name would suggest, "an excellent way with lamb" -- and a few other dishes, too.

When you think of Riesling, is sweet the first thing to come to mind? If so, you've probably been drinking the German variety. Sample a Riesling from Washington state for a wine that's less sweet and more honeyed and balanced, with fresh tropical-fruit notes. These West Coast stunners are best drunk young, ideally within two years of their release.

Asian food makes the best match for a Washington Riesling -- sushi, Thai curries or pan-fried/baked fish dressed with a sweet and spicy sauce. For Italian food, stick to a creamy sauce ladled over pasta -- the Riesling's crispness plays well with the sauce's richness.

Here are five stellar Washington Rieslings we highly recommend.

2008 Z'Ivo Riesling, Columbia Valley ($20)
Among this group of five, the Z'lvo had the most texture, its complex layers of fruit and honey overlapping into a palate that's ripe with peach and nectarine, and bursting with floral aromas.

Nothing wrong with beer or mixed drinks, but wine at a cook-out is a new twist if you're in search of something different. There's no reason why you need to save your favorite wines for multi-course dinners served indoors. Raid your cellar and see what you come up with, paying close attention to wines with incredible body and spices. Paired with grilled meats and vegetables - even grilled fruits like peaches - new flavor notes arise in the food.

Here are seven wines that are perfect for sipping at a cook-out. You might want to think about chilling the reds for a bit. This won't ruin the flavor profile but it will be more refreshing while you're baking in the sun.

2008 Kendall-Jackson Vineyard Estates Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir, California ($18)
Pinot and salmon is a classic pairing and that doesn't change when the fish is grilled. A cedar aroma kicks off this Pinot, which is anything but mellow and has an undercurrent of cola flavors that dance with the wild-raspberry fruit notes. Although light in body -- which we like on hot days -- there is still enough spicy flavor that provides wiggle room to encrust spices on top of your salmon. (Because we wouldn't want you to forego any additional flavors, of course.)

Summer's scorching temperatures practically demand a chilled white. Oregon Rieslings are less sweet, lighter in body and possess more minerals in their flavor profiles than their counterparts in Germany. While the white-grape variety has its roots in Germany's Rhine region, wineries in Oregon are producing wonderful, low-cost bottles of Riesling. An excellent choice in pairing with summer salads – both vegetables tossed in vinaigrette and sweet summer fruits – these Rieslings are just as good when chilled and drank solo on a hot summer night.

On a recent hot day we opened up a bunch of 2008 Oregon Rieslings. Find our seven favorites after the jump.

With the spring season around the corner, we're already looking forward to more chilled whites. And as much as a Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel jazzes up pizza, so do some white varietals. In developing this list we looked for white wines with viscosity, complexity and legs – ones that aren't shy and can stand up to tomato-based sauces, rich mozzarella and an abundance of toppings, from spicy sausage to basil leaves.

After the jump, five of our favorites.