About the Wine: Riesling is a white Noble variety, grown just about everywhere wine can be grown. Traditional German Rieslings are a bit sweet but are also very tangy. They can be difficult for those not used to them because ranges from prominent to mouth-puckering. American Rieslings and those grown for the American market tend to be very sweet with less tang. Urban is an underbrand of St. Urbans-Hof, a well known and respected German Riesling. Underbrands are usually made from grapes from the same vineyard but of lower quality than their overbrands. Depending on the vineyard, this can be a good way to find undervalued wines. The underbrand may lack certain characteristics of the overbrand, but it is usually made with the same process and will have some of the same properties. Because the lower quality grapes come from the same vineyard, they are also likely to retain the terroir, a French term sometimes translated as "Taste of a place." This can be significant for those who are fans of wines from certain regions. I personally enjoy Chilean wines and the terroir is as much a part of that experience for me as the unique characteristics of any wine from there. For all of these reasons underbrands are often better than their mass produced counterparts in similar price ranges.
About THIS Wine: Urban has a very potent citrus smell and based on that I expected it to have a corresponding taste. While there were definitely citrus notes, I found the wine mild and sweet with a very light finish. I would classify the sweetness as "medium", not the cloying sweetness of most Moscatos, but sweeter than a Chenin Blanc. Neither the sweetness nor the citrus lingered on the palate and the wine has no complexity to speak of.
Drinking This Wine: Rieslings are best served chilled, but not ice cold. The sweetness Urban 2010 makes it more of a dessert than something appropriate for a main course. The citrus and lemon flavors make it a good companion for key lime pie, lemon meringue, and similar sweet fruit deserts. It is important to note than drinking wines with the right food pairing will often enhance both the wine and the food. I suspect that drinking Urban with lemon meringue would enhance both the citrus and the sweetness of the wine, making it a more rounded experience.
Overall Impression: This a good wine for casual drinking and a good value. It is not something I would recommend as a gift or for a special occasion. It is a good wine for the price.
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