In homage to summer and sweet thoughts of sipping with my father, (see: From The Same Vine entry) I’ve taken leave from my palate’s preference for red to review a 2007 Adolph Mueller Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spatlese ($11.99).

I have to admit with each increasingly humid-choked day that passes, I think more and more about relieving my heat-induced lethargy with a glass of a chilly and refreshing white wine.

And so, on a Thursday evening, I invited my good friend Duane to share in the medicinal effects of my wine, in exchange for his impressions and comments.

The Mueller was pale yellow with a very pleasant light and fruity aroma. I could detect a bit of juicy apple.

The Spatlese riesling is considered a classic semisweet German style (along with Kabinett and Auslese.) I thought this riesling was very sweet, but relative to the drier wines I prefer to drink, that’s no surprise. That being said, I once again delighted in the refreshing qualities of the riesling on a sticky, summer evening.

It definitely had a ripe fruit flavor and the one I finally was able to discern, once on my second glass, was sweet apple to match the aroma, with just a hint of honey. The interesting, and inviting, aspect of this wine is that it finishes with a “slight pucker,” as Duane described. He thought it was slightly tart at the end, but not in a displeasing way.

I agreed, and my conclusion was the Mueller riesling showed its tame acidity and crispness in this manner. It had an uplifting, medium-length finish — perfect for perking up my heat-weary soul. It was very easy to drink, as evidenced by our quick dispatch of the bottle.

Duane envisioned sipping and sitting with a few friends on the patio late on a summer’s afternoon, or watching the sun go down over the ocean in the Keys.

Wine and friends… does it really get any better?