I recently read about must try Riesling and this Sélection de Vieilles Vignes from Trimbach was high on the list. I brought a bottle to one of my most favorite ways to enjoy Riesling – BYOB Chinese at Hop Lee in Chinatown.

Trimbach is a very familiar name associated with the Alsace region, and one of the oldest! The family has been making wine for 4 centuries across 12 generations! We unfortunately skipped a visit on our trip to Alsace three years ago. Having become more familiar with the wines, I know it will be one of the first stops when I return!

The vineyards for the Sélection de Vieilles Vignes Riesling Sélection de Vieilles VignesSélection de Vieilles Vignessurround the town of Ribeauvillé, with selections for this bottling coming from 50 year old vines. A slightly later harvest ensures richness and depth of flavor, but wines are vinified completely dry. The wine is bottle aged vs. barrel Sélection de Vieilles Vigneaged to preserve freshness.

The result is a rich yet racy wine, full of citrus: grapefruit and lime, with a mineral backbone. The finish is long and lean.

I typically take something with a little residual sugar to Chinese, but the bright acidity cut through the saucy dishes and remained balance even with the spicier dishes. If you’re craving Chinese food and live in NYC, I highly recommend Hop Lee! It’s the perfect spot for a group, you can pretty easily make a reservation, even at the last minute. Prices are fair and when you BYOB, it’s the perfect way to experiment with fun and different wines for the fraction of the price of normal restaurants! My favorite dishes are the fried pork chops, the whole steamed fish with ginger, and the Singapore dry noodles!

Wine: 2015 Domaine Trimbach “Sélection de Vieilles Vignes” Riesling
Purchased: Taub Family Selections
Price: $35