Spring has sprung (16 Alzinger Riesling with Grüner Spargel)

R

Rahsaan

Rahsaan
Tipping into full spring time mode here, with a dinner of monkfish, maitake sautee, steamed asparagus and boiled golden potatoes, all held together by a sauce based on celery leaves and ramps. So much green!

Some might think it was destined to be a wine clash, but we know better and 2016 Alzinger Ried Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd was the perfect match. Ripe full layers from the site and the vintage, but always with a dose of herbal pungency and mineral elegance that one expects from Alzinger.

In an absolute sense, this is not my favorite vintage and yes I prefer the Steinertal, but the extra oomph and power were great with the meal. Dinner was a happy space.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Spring has sprung (16 Alzinger Riesling with Grüner Spargel)Tipping into full spring time mode here, with a dinner of monkfish, maitake sautee, steamed asparagus and boiled golden potatoes, all held together by a sauce based on celery leaves and ramps. So much green!

Some might think it was destined to be a wine clash, but we know better and 2016 Alzinger Ried Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd was the perfect match. Ripe full layers from the site and the vintage, but always with a dose of herbal pungency and mineral elegance that one expects from Alzinger.

In an absolute sense, this is not my favorite vintage and yes I prefer the Steinertal, but the extra oomph and power were great with the meal. Dinner was a happy space.
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I would have probably gone for Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Ried Hochstrasser Federspiel 2023 because it is probably a bit fresher, livelier and has a lower ABV, but also because I think that veltliner with green asparagus (white are a bit bitter so something more neutral seems better) is great.

I never steam them but learned from a chef to peel the bottom half after snapping off the woody part and then boiling in salty water for a minute so they are still al dente and then shocking with cold water and draining. Fixes the color and flavor is excellent.
 
originally posted by mark e:

I would have probably gone for Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Ried Hochstrasser Federspiel 2023 because it is probably a bit fresher, livelier and has a lower ABV, but also because I think that veltliner with green asparagus (white are a bit bitter so something more neutral seems better) is great.

I never steam them but learned from a chef to peel the bottom half after snapping off the woody part and then boiling in salty water for a minute so they are still al dente and then shocking with cold water and draining. Fixes the color and flavor is excellent.
Click to expand...

Yes, I wouldn't say this was the perfect match. GV would definitely be higher up the list. But this was what I had available and it was delicious.

I too snap off the bottom half and then peel asparagus (which seems to be standard prep, unless they are extremely thin/tender). I rotate steaming, boiling, sauteeing and roasting. Steaming is probably my favorite for the appreciating the delicate flavor without getting waterlogged from boiling. But all preps have their place!

Especially roasting once the specimens are less pristine...
 
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