2004 Dveri-Pax Renski Rizling ‘E’ Maribor

Not quite up to speed on Slovenian wines? Start your collection with this terrific Rizling (read Riesling) from Dveri-Pax, a Slovenian winery founded by the offspring of two great Austrian winemaking families. Erich Krutzler is the former winemaker at the Burgenland red wine specialist Krutzler; his wife is the daughter of F.X. Pichler in the Wachau.

Dveri-Pax (“place of peace”) is a former Benedictine monastery with a winemaking tradition that goes back more than 850 years. The Krutzlers are slowly restoring the monastery and its vineyards, and made their first vintage in 2003.

Steely and minerally with lovely herbal and citrus overtones, it’s everything you’d want in a summer Riesling. It’s the perfect wine with sushi and sashimi or Italian crudos, and is delicious with grilled salmon or other fish.

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Quick swirl

Region: Maribor, Slovenia

Price: About $20

Style: Crisp and minerally

Food it goes with: Sushi and sashimi, crudos, grilled salmon or other fish

Where you find it: Silverlake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454 and (800) 76WINEX; Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111 and (800) 678-WINE

-- S. Irene Virbila