Last Saturday, March 23 at the restaurant “Turengin Wanha Asema” was held Riesling wine & Tapas evening. The history of the restaurant began in 1862. The name of the restaurant from Finnish means “Old Station Turenki”. Turenki is a small province takes an hour from Helsinki. The railway station building was constructed by order of the Russian Emperor Alexander II. In February 2019, restaurant opened again doors after the renovation.
Today, the station serves as a restaurant, and trains arrive and depart from Hämeenlinna-Helsinki and back till today. At the moment,Tuomas, who takes over a family-owned business.
The main evening heroes are white wine variety, Riesling. Most leading wine critics consider Riesling as the world’s best white grape variety. For a long time, this sort of wine was considered as a quiet low quality. There was another stereotype: white grape gave only dessert wines.
Riesling Bianco (Riesling Bianco), is a noble grape variety from which high-quality white wines are produced. They have a pleasant aroma, dry taste with light nutmeg notes, a good balance of acidity and alcohol.
During the evening, we were told about main characteristics of taste and aroma wine properties. There were 5 types.
Upon arrival each guest was greeted with sparkling Mark Barth Brut, Germany, from the vineyards of the Rheingau region.
Then following next wines were:
2. Wolfberger Riesling Signature, France, Alsace region
3. Little Beauty Dry Riesling, New Zealand, Marlborough Region
4. Jekel Riesling 2015, USA, California
5. Prinz von Hessen Feinherb 2016, Germany, Rheingau region
Tables have already been served, when we came. For convenience, there was prepared a special tasting list, where they could bring their impressions and select own rating all 5 wine positions. Also a detailed tasting notebook with information about wine region, the manufacture was on every table.
Chef “ Turengin Wanha Asema” Heidi served light and wine-appropriate appetizers and tapas-style sharing plates, that perfectly matched the taste with wines: pickled olives, bruschetta with Parma ham, melon cubes, salami, blue cheese.
Freshly baked bread, whole grain, without yeast was ideal combination with white wine. Benefits of such no yeast bruschetta (great option for those, who’s on diet:-)is really good and healthy for the stomach and improves digestion.
It was interesting to get acquainted with vegan-friendly wine, Prinz von Hessen Feinherb 2016, Germany.
Some winemaking methods make use of animal-derived products wine is vegan or vegetarian on the label. For vegans to use animal-derived products is taboo. That’s why, for vegetarian drink is used natural substances – such as bentonite purified clay or limestone. On the labels you can see the appropriate mark.
Friendly, fun atmosphere in the restaurant made all guests enjoyed fine wines and tapas plates in a historic location.
Owing to such wine tasting party you can:
* learn how to choose wines
* learn the basics of tasting
* learn to read wine labels
* learn rules for wine and food pairings
Wine tastings are held in Finnish, but with translation into Russian or English.
We recommend taking a wine tour in one of our travels in Southern Finland, in order to better understand the culture and customs of the Finns, to know their life from the inside, and not on the tourist routes,
We hope to see you at next wine tasting parties. Follow the schedule on our website and on social media!
