Dr. Konstantin Frank Finger Lakes Rkatsiteli 2016
Rule No. 1 for enjoying wine: Don't let difficulty in pronouncing the grape or region get in your head before sampling. Exhibit A: the Dr. Konstantin Frank Finger Lakes Rkatsiteli 2016 ($20). The white grape has been grown in the Republic of Georgia for more than 3,000 years, and it just so happens that Dr. Frank came from Georgia before he became a pioneer in wine in upstate New York. The nose features an array of fruit and herbal notes, and this complexity continues on the palate, undergirded by bracing, refreshing acidity. This gem is the essence of crispness, which makes it versatile at the table. Maybe there's a better wine out there to pair with sushi — or maybe not — and it also should sing with goat cheese, mild-to-medium spiced Asian dishes, salads and most appetizers. Oh, and it's pronounced "er-KAT-si-teli."
Available at Thomas, Lake Wine & Spirits, South Lyndale, 1010 Washington and Mount Royal (Duluth).
Bill Ward
