By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

One bite of the spicy shrimp at the Mount Adams Fish House and I wondered whether I'd be able to appreciate a glass of wine. This Asian dish was hot.

But Ernst Loosen, whose family has been making Riesling in Germany for more than 200 years, assured me his wines would pair perfectly with any spicy cuisine.

"The sweetness of the wine balances the spices in the food," Loosen said, pouring his 2002 Dr. L Riesling ($13.99).

Loosen was in town to promote his wines. Made from grapes grown along the Mosel River near Bernkastel, this white has an apple aroma. The taste is indeed sweet - but not cloying. It's tart on the tongue and crisp. The light-bodied wine's alcohol content is just 8.5 percent, so it doesn't fan the flames of piquant food.

If you're not partial to spicy fare, this racy Riesling is fine for sipping on its own. It reminds me of apple cider. I found it refreshing on a hot day, though it would be wunderbar at an Oktoberfest party in the fall.

Loosen also owns the J.L. Wolf estate, founded in 1756 in the Pfalz wine region. I'm fond of Wolf's 2001 Wachenheimer Belz Riesling Spatlese ($29.99). It, too, has an aroma of apple and a sweet, crisp taste. But it's more elegant - drier and creamier than the Dr. L Riesling. The alcohol content is higher, too - 11.5 percent. It would be marvelous with Wiener schnitzel or another rich veal dish.

E-mail sips@enquirer.com