Vendange tardive means “late harvest” in French and refers to a wine style pioneered in Alsace where the grapes are allowed to hang on the vine until they start to dehydrate. We love the concentrated flavor of Alsatian vendange tardives but most seem way too sweet to pair with a main course. Our goal was to produce a wine with the same concentration but ferment it further; the final result is a wine with much less sweetness that would pair perfectly with salty, sweet or spicy fare. Many people avoid wines with any sweetness and, admittedly, it requires a home chef who thinks outside the box. This Riesling's delicious apple-apricot-papaya flavors are framed with high acidity and modest sweetness; we've served it with spicy sesame Chinese noodles, pulled pork with barbeque sauce and Pennyroyal's Boontner's Blue cheese. Gold Medal winner. Best of Class.