The 2009 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Riesling is sourced from grapes grown in the Columbia Valley in Washington State. This Riesling is rated “off dry” which means it has a touch of sweetness, but it is not a sweet wine. The alcohol content is 11.45%.
The color is the same as the syrup in a can of peaches. The nose is like being in the fresh fruit section of your supermarkets produce department, fresh pear, peach and apple with a light touch of citrus around the edges. There is a nice substantial, syrupy mouthfeel that coats your palate with flavor, apple, apricot and pear come first. The mid-palate brings peach with a faint hint of lime. There is more balance than you would expect for a $4.99 wine, it has a touch of sweetness, but only a touch and while there is a good amount of acidity evident it is kept in check by all the fruit. There is a nice lengthy peach finish.
I think it is safe to crown the 2009 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Riesling the King of the $4.99 Rieslings. This is a “no issues” bottle of wine, if you like your Riesling just a hair on the sweet side, you will love this and if your prefer your Rieslings to be “dry”, the price tag is enough to convince you that for tonight, at least, you dig your Rieslings “off-dry”.
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