For the third year in a row, Terroir owner and James Beard Award winner Paul Grieco hosted his Summer of Riesling wine tasting at Avero’s New York City headquarters, where employees new and old learned more than they ever thought they could about this popular white wine.
“Paul has enlightened me on how great Rieslings can be and I’m so happy that he spreads the virtues of Rieslings to my Avero team,” said Avero CEO and founder Damian Mogavero. “His wine tastings are the most engaging and unlike any other in our industry as he blends a wine history lesson with stand-up comedy while drinking yummy wines.”
The tasting included six different Rieslings – four German, one Austrian and one French. Throughout the educational experience, Paul passionately described what makes a Riesling a Riesling – “ACID!” – as well as where on the palate to detect sugar (tip of the tongue) and other flavors, how to read a German wine label (anything ending in “-er” is the village from whence it came), and much more.
Summer of Riesling, started by Paul in 2008, has turned into a national phenomenon, but this summer it has returned home to Terroir Tribeca with more than 15 Rieslings by the glass and newly reopened Terroir High Line with five Rieslings by the glass, all summer long at both locations. Avero highly recommends taking advantage of any opportunity to learn from the master of Riesling himself.
“You have to be lazy to make Riesling,” Paul said. “Once you harvest the grapes, you’re done. The wine makes itself.”
2014 Dreissigacker (Rheinhessen, Germany)
2013 Wiltinger Braunfels, van Volxem (Saar, Germany)
2013 Ockfener Bockstein, St. Urbans-Hof (Mosel, Germany)
2013 Niersteiner Paterberg, Strub (Rheinhessen, Germany)
2013 Spitzer Setzberg, Karl Lagler (Wachau, Austria)
2008 Bollenberg, Chateau d’Orschwihr (Alsace, France)
