For shame, I’ve gone nearly two months without a winesday post! Now that the holidays and snowpocalypse are over and done with, I have no more excuses – it’s time to get back to a normal schedule including regular winesday posts. This week’s wine is a Siegerrebe from Whidbey Island Winery. Siegerrebe (“victory vine” in German) is a white wine grape that was developed in Germany in the 1920’s. It is a cross between Gewürztraminer and Madeleine Angevine. Like its predecessors, this grape thrives in cooler climates. Besides Germany, Siegerrebe is grown in England, British Columbia and in the Puget Sound Appellation of Washington State.

Siegerrebe grapes are notable for their tendency to reach very high must weights (a measure of the amount of sugar in grape juice.) In fact, Siegerrebe holds the record for the highest must weight ever recorded in Germany. Naturally, Siegerrebe wines can be quite sweet, a popular characteristic among German wines. Siegerrebe wines from the Puget Sound region typically contain smaller amounts of residual sugar and thus have only a slight edge toward sweetness. Siegerrebe wines are pale yellow to golden in color and have aromas and flavors reminiscent of Gewürztraminer – think floral and spice. Flavors include honey, apricots, pears, lychee nuts and soft spices such as clove and anise. These wines are great paired with fruits, cheeses or mildly spicy Asian curries.

For dinner, I made Spaghetti Squash with Indian Spices using the last of my farmer’s market squash. Mustard seeds, ginger, cumin and serrano chilies turn this otherwise bland squash into a flavor-packed treat. I served the squash with a creamy shrimp curry, baby basmati rice, and steamed green beans. The mild spices in the squash and curry were a great match for the spicy Siegerrebe. True to the nature of Siegerrebe, this wine was highly aromatic and just a tad sweet. It was a nice wine, and I particularly love that it is local. When Robert and I take our annual trip to Toby’s Tavern this year, we might just need to stop by Whidbey Island Winery for a tasting on our way home – they have a rhubarb wine there that I’m dying to try!