Tasting: Kung Fu Girl Riesling

Rieslings from middle Europe and America's Finger Lakes usually have a very mature, rounded, and full body about them, something not found in most other U.S. regions. So, it is not surprising that Kung Fu Girl 2015 Riesling presents a less fulsome experience.

However, this wine from grapes planted by Jerry Milbrandt back in 1998 in Washington state's newest AVA, Ancient Lakes, is worthy of consideration when you're looking for a bargain retail price, an unblended Riesling, and a wine with a bit of a citric edge that cuts through fatty, creamy foods.

It's not a wine I'd pour for standalone sipping, but I paired it with a chicken Marsala dish, and it balanced off the creaminess of the sauce while holding its own as a separate flavor. Hints of lime and peach and citrus mingle with the minerality of the wine, and the finish is comparatively long. I can see it pairing well with spicy Asian dishes as well, as its name -- inspired by director Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies -- implies.

Kung Fu Girl is from Charles Smith Wines of Prosser, WA. It is barrel aged for two months, finishes at 12% alcohol, with 1.4% residual sugar. It carries a suggested retail price of $12.00, but I've seen it offered online for $1 or $2 less.

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• Go here to visit the Capital Region Brew Trail
• Go here to visit Dowd's New York Wines Notebook
• Go here to visit Notes On Napkins 

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