A to Z Riesling 2017
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The 2017 A to Z Riesling speaks to the quality of the vintage and the complexity gained from sourcing all around the great state of Oregon. This wine is lively, full of personality and attitude. There are compelling aromas & flavors of lime cordial, elderflower, honeysuckle, starfruit & kiwifruit, quince paste, kumquat, preserved lemons, candied ginger & white gumdrops. Similarly, floral notes of gardenia & jasmine overfloweth from the glass. The color is a pale gold with a hint of expensive green. This wine ticks all the boxes of juicy acidity, great intensity and lovely texture.
Great with spicy, salty and complex cuisine like Indian, Asian, Spanish, North African and Central & South American -- as well as simple, pleasant dishes like a stew from Alsace.
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This reliable value producer makes a thoroughly enjoyable dry Riesling inflected with plenty of lush fruit. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, it brings apple and peach notes forward, with lingering lemon meringue flavors, boosted by bright acidity.
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Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
As the the largest region in the greater Southern Oregon AVA, bordering California, the Rogue Valley AVA grows the most diverse array of grape varieties compared to any other Oregon appellation.
The Rogue Valley AVA is actually made up of three adjacent river valleys—not just one as its name suggests—Bear Creek, Applegate and Illinois. These valleys extend from the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, a coastal sub range of the Klamath Mountains. Most Rogue Valley vineyards are planted on hillsides at elevations of 1,200 to 2,000 feet where soils are metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic.
On one end Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc benefit from a warm and dry climate. To the west end of the Rogue Valley, cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat and Gewürztraminer do best. Dolcetto, Grenache and Zinfandel also grow in the Rogue Valley AVA.
Early European settlers first started growing grapes here in the 1840s, the most famous of whom was a pioneer named, Peter Britt. He also opened Oregon’s first official winery (which later closed in 1907). Today, besides its great wines, the region is known for the Britt Music & Arts festival, which inhabits Peter Britt’s former hillside estate, and the Ashland, Oregon Shakespeare Festival.