Brilliant yellow with emerald highlights. Medium-bodied. Low acidity. Moderately extracted. Moderately oaked. Vanilla, faint tropical fruits. Oak accented aromas are fully expressed on the palate with very little varietal fruit flavors to complement.

Has hints of spice and pear. A good, quenching quaff.

A vioginer structured like a big, ultraripe chardonnay, with lots of oaky and buttery aromas and flavors. Fruit shows lime and orange.

Oak and sandalwood spice. Fairly unctuous on the palate. Ripe and oaky, mildly honeyed. This one has plenty of richness.

A light and simple riesling, its peach flavors touched by smoke, this is a clean, fresh white to chill as an aperitiff.

Readers looking for a good Spatlese-styled Reisling should check out the 1999…from Monterey. It reveals excellent orange, citrus, and apple blossom chacteristics, light to medium body, and a good, crisp finish with just a touch of residual sugar.

If never all that convincing with respect to distinctive varietal character, this clean, bright, slightly sweet wine suggests apples, lemons and an appealing hint of honey in both aroma and flavor. Quite well-balanced and kept alive by a bracing bit of acidity, it is sure to serve nicely in the coming warmer months with picnic fare.

Deep-set floral aroma, earthy, slightly herbal accents; light apple/mineral flavors; medium balance and finish.

Flowers, apples, lemons. This young white boasts explosive July fruit and freshly appealing aromatics.

Peach-like flavors remind of Germany's warmer regions, such as the Pfalz or Nahe. This is a low-alcohol, lightly sweet Kabinett-style riesling.

Soft, a little sweet, showing modest apple and citrus flavors.

Medium to full-bodied. Silky, round. Moderate acidity. Medium to high sweetness. Apricot, orange rind and honeysuckle flavors. Great structure, long finish.

A favorite. Starts out with zesty citrus tones and then develops a fascinating sweet iced-tea character.

Try this one with ripe mango or papaya as dessert.

Ripe, fruity aroma, apricot-vanilla notes; spicy flavors, full fruit on palate, rich texture, balanced sweetness and acidity. Perfect with fruit, chicken curry, hard cheeses.

Soft and fragrant, with bright peach and apple flavors. Finishes with a lively mouthful of fruit.

An interesting bouquet of zesty peaches and apricots accentuated by notes of fresh herbs and pine. Rich and creamy on the palate with a steely lime-tinged finish.

Very appealing. A warm, honeyed spicy aroma and sweet fruity flavor. Richness balanced with firm acidity.

An exceptionally pleasing balance of sugar and acidity. Suitable for almost any kind of food.

Alternative White Wines Riesling. Riesling has had to overcome a reputation as only a sweet wine, though it usually balances sugar and invigorating acidity. More and more, dry or off-dry Riesling _ intensely aromatic, impressively structured, and amazingly expressive — is taking its place at the table...The 2016 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Monterey County presents an easygoing, slightly sweet, softer textured drink.

5 Eco-Friendly Sonoma and Napa Wineries to Please You and the Planet Fear sweet wines? Don't shy away from this riesling, made with fruit from a 100 percent sustainable vineyard down south in Monterey County. Lemon zest, honeysuckle, and a lovely touch of apricot echo throughout this riesling, which leans toward the dry end, which will please the palate of those who are long-time fans of riesling, or new to trying it. It pairs perfectly with spicy chicken tikka masala or Szechuan cuisine.

Five Spring Wine Pairings That Aren’t All Just Rosé Dish: Peach tart
 Wine: 2016 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Monterey County Riesling, $13
 Some people prefer dessert wines with their plated post-meal sweets, and I can get on board if the dish is simple or savory. But for something like a peach tart, try a wine with a kiss of sweetness and similar flavors to your treat. This riesling is the right price, and its flavor profile—the delicate taste of apricot and pear—will accentuate the tart’s peach and crust. Just one, though!

K-J has always made a fine Riesling — this one is bursting with citrus, apricot, jasmine, honeysuckle and ripe pear. It’s produced off vineyards in cool Monterey County. It packs some power at 13 percent alcohol. I admit this bottle got tasted, reviewed and stashed back in my fridge and … lost in the fridge. Tasting it again many weeks later, I can verify it still held together. This is the amazing Riesling grape for you. With just a bit of sweetness and enough acidity, a bottle can stay fresh once opened and reclosed for a very long time. This one has a screw cap. Sometimes I forget just how versatile Riesling is — you can serve it with food or pour as an aperitif — or enliven savory sauces with it.