INSIDER'S PICK: 2018 PETER LAUER 'BARREL X' RIESLING FEINHERB MOSEL $22.99

Another hot week in Central Virginia, another great dry Riesling for you to throw into the fridge. Anyone want to guess what we love to drink to fight back against the oppressive humidity? With a bit of chill on it, the vibrant acidity cuts through heat like a razor, refreshes your palate without leaving behind anything weighty, and are generally lower in alcohol so you don't feel as guilty going back to top up your glass when it inevitably gets consumed all too quickly. This is also our first offering of what will likely be dozens more from the highly regarded 2018 vintage in Germany, a year being touted not only for the sweeter wines at the top end but the ability it gave for producers to create exactly what they wanted at all price points and levels of dryness. Peter Lauer is one of the great producers of the Saar River, a tiny tributary of the Mosel that rarely gets featured on a label because there are so few that hold vineyards there. He also chooses to make wines that don't follow the traditional German Pradikat labeling laws, so those not in the know may pass over his labels. Most of his wines are intended to 'taste dry' and are allowed to reach whatever residual sugar levels they end at naturally, using native yeasts and only adjusted at the end if needed. Barrel X is a combination of several sites within the Saar, less than a mile apart from each other ('If we were in Burgundy, this would be the equivalent of a Bourgogne Blanc'), and is one of the most ridiculous values you can find that speaks so clearly of its origins.

The term Feinherb is used instead of Halbtrocken locally, which means half-dry, referring to the slight amount of residual sugar left here. But if you were honest most people would barely notice it when presented with all the flavor found here. Lychee, lime zest, fresh herbs and tons of white flowers on the nose even with a healthy chill on it out of the fridge, like walking through the produce section of a farmer's market with fruit samples cut open for you to sample. On the palate there is a slight indication of the residual sugar, but the fruit is SO juicy and clean, and the acidity is SO quenching and refreshing it really isn't something anyone should get hung up on. The finish is as long and clean as a bite of a freshly sliced and perfectly ripe lime, with no lingering sweetness at all. This is a wine with immediate pleasure, long life potential, and about as many different reasons to use for enjoyment as there are bottles for you to buy. If you haven't been a bi Riesling fan in the past, now is a good time to start!

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