Riesling Characteristics
Riesling is believed to have originated in Germany, which remains the leading producer of these wines worldwide, making a range of styles from bone-dry to sweet and everything in between. On the other side of the French-German border, Alsace is also one of the highest-regarded sources of Riesling, as is Austria, which generally focuses on dry styles. In the New World, Riesling has found a home in Australia, notably Clare Valley, as well as in New York's Finger Lakes, Canada, New Zealand and Washington.
Riesling buds late, is mid- to late-ripening, and does best in cool climates, where grapes ripen slowly and develop deep aromatic character. In order to achieve full ripeness, producers often plant Riesling on south-facing slopes for maximum sun exposure. The grape grows best in limestone and slate soils.... Off-dry or lightly sweet styles are particularly popular in Germany's Mosel region, but many of the most lauded bottlings are dry. Overall, the wines exhibit fresh fruit flavors of peach, pear, lemon and yellow apple, complemented by pronounced minerality and floral notes. Riesling is capable of making wines of great longevity, thanks in part to its high acidity. Aged versions typically develop hints of petrol aromas. -- The Wine Spectator
AROUND THE WORLD SAMPLER PACK
6 bottles of great Dry Riesling
6 bottles of great Dry Riesling
Regular price - 1 of each below is = $223.94
Special price for $190 plus tax for the 6 bottles
Save almost $35!!
Australia - Penfolds Riesling Eden Valley Bin 51...$39.99
France - Julien Schaal Riesling Rosacker Grand Cru....$34.99
Austria - Hirsch Ried Zoblinger Helligenstein Riesling Erste Lagen...$61.99
German - J.J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese...$48.99
New York - Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling..$18.99
2019 Hirsch Ried Zoblinger Helligenstein Riesling Erste Lagen...$61.99
Still slightly funky (from wild ferment), but it blows off quickly to reveal so much wild-herb, floral and mineral complexity, which takes hold and draws you in, making it difficult for the nervous system to process it all at once. From biodynamically grown grapes.
Rated 98/100 James Suckling
2016 Penfolds Riesling Eden Valley Bin 51...$39.99
Very strong floral character on the nose — typical of Eden Valley — with lemon blossom and white-rose perfumes; the aromas are engaging and ever so pretty. The palate, meanwhile, has a succulent, tangy and elegant feel to it. Fresh pear and apple flavors sing out in a chalky textural setting, the acidity is servile, and this holds pure and even, all the way to the balanced, lemon-citrus finish. Drink now or hold until 2022 for some smoother, aged character.
Rated 94/100 Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Julien Schaal Riesling Rosacker Grand Cru....$34.99
This is very beautiful with lime, stone and green-melon character. Medium-to full-bodied and creamy with a flavorful finish. Mineral and flinty. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
Rated 93/100 James Suckling
Fresh chamomile leaves and a notion of crushed yarrow give freshness to the nose of this wine that is intense but nuanced. On the palate, freshness frames and shapes everything, despite the rounded, almost gilded peach fruit of 2018. Ripe lemon brightness gives concentration, structure and drive to this gorgeous dry Riesling. Drink now–2040.
Rated 95/100 Wine Enthusiast
2019 Poet's Leap Riesling Columbia Valley...$18.99
From its precise, nicely concentrated aromas of sweet limes, peaches and honeysuckle to its continuously fruity flavors, this is a precise Riesling that hits all of the right varietal marks and does so without ever wavering in the least. Its slight bit of residual sugar is balanced by beautifully fit acidity, and it is thoroughly delicious now, yet, as evidenced by last September’s report on Poet’s Leap Rieslings dating back to the 2008 vintage, it, too, is a wine with a marvelously long life ahead and should evolve famously for a good decade or more.
Rated 91/100 Connoisseurs' Guide
2017 Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling..$18.99
The 2017 Dry Riesling comes in with seven grams of total sugar, 5.8 of total acidity and 12% alcohol. This is a workhorse wine for Wiemer—6,100 cases produced, a blend of all of the vineyard sites and generally tending to be a third of the winery's total production, more or less. It's why co-owner Fred Merwath considers it the winery's most important bottling, and in this tricky year, the fruit for several single-vineyard sites was declassified to make this better (e.g., Josef Vineyard and Magdalena Vineyard). Perhaps as a result, it shows beautifully, with moderate tension on the long finish and a bright, balanced feel. This, like so many FLX Dry Rieslings, is a fine bargain point in the lineup. It doesn't always show the depth of the best upper-level wines, but sometimes it is not far off. It will age well too—Fred estimates that it can do 15 years. Let's be a little conservative just now and take that in stages, but he's probably right. It will certainly be better and more developed in 2021-2023.
Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate
2018 J.J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese...$45.99 / 750ml
This has all of the elements of a great spätlese, with pronounced acidity supporting the ripe peach, yellow apple, mango and spruce flavors, while hints of vanilla and piecrust add to the complexity. Still a bit intense, but this should develop beautifully with age, allowing the minerality to become more prominent. Best from 2022 through 2038. 150 cases imported.
Rated 93/100 Wine Spectator
Special price for $190 plus tax for the 6 bottles
Save almost $35!!
Australia - Penfolds Riesling Eden Valley Bin 51...$39.99
France - Julien Schaal Riesling Rosacker Grand Cru....$34.99
Austria - Hirsch Ried Zoblinger Helligenstein Riesling Erste Lagen...$61.99
German - J.J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese...$48.99
New York - Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling..$18.99
Washington - Poet's Leap Dry Riesling Columbia Valley...$18.99
More info on the wines!
More info on the wines!
2019 Hirsch Ried Zoblinger Helligenstein Riesling Erste Lagen...$61.99
Still slightly funky (from wild ferment), but it blows off quickly to reveal so much wild-herb, floral and mineral complexity, which takes hold and draws you in, making it difficult for the nervous system to process it all at once. From biodynamically grown grapes.
Rated 98/100 James Suckling
2016 Penfolds Riesling Eden Valley Bin 51...$39.99
Very strong floral character on the nose — typical of Eden Valley — with lemon blossom and white-rose perfumes; the aromas are engaging and ever so pretty. The palate, meanwhile, has a succulent, tangy and elegant feel to it. Fresh pear and apple flavors sing out in a chalky textural setting, the acidity is servile, and this holds pure and even, all the way to the balanced, lemon-citrus finish. Drink now or hold until 2022 for some smoother, aged character.
Rated 94/100 Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Julien Schaal Riesling Rosacker Grand Cru....$34.99
This is very beautiful with lime, stone and green-melon character. Medium-to full-bodied and creamy with a flavorful finish. Mineral and flinty. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
Rated 93/100 James Suckling
Fresh chamomile leaves and a notion of crushed yarrow give freshness to the nose of this wine that is intense but nuanced. On the palate, freshness frames and shapes everything, despite the rounded, almost gilded peach fruit of 2018. Ripe lemon brightness gives concentration, structure and drive to this gorgeous dry Riesling. Drink now–2040.
Rated 95/100 Wine Enthusiast
2019 Poet's Leap Riesling Columbia Valley...$18.99
From its precise, nicely concentrated aromas of sweet limes, peaches and honeysuckle to its continuously fruity flavors, this is a precise Riesling that hits all of the right varietal marks and does so without ever wavering in the least. Its slight bit of residual sugar is balanced by beautifully fit acidity, and it is thoroughly delicious now, yet, as evidenced by last September’s report on Poet’s Leap Rieslings dating back to the 2008 vintage, it, too, is a wine with a marvelously long life ahead and should evolve famously for a good decade or more.
Rated 91/100 Connoisseurs' Guide
2017 Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling..$18.99
The 2017 Dry Riesling comes in with seven grams of total sugar, 5.8 of total acidity and 12% alcohol. This is a workhorse wine for Wiemer—6,100 cases produced, a blend of all of the vineyard sites and generally tending to be a third of the winery's total production, more or less. It's why co-owner Fred Merwath considers it the winery's most important bottling, and in this tricky year, the fruit for several single-vineyard sites was declassified to make this better (e.g., Josef Vineyard and Magdalena Vineyard). Perhaps as a result, it shows beautifully, with moderate tension on the long finish and a bright, balanced feel. This, like so many FLX Dry Rieslings, is a fine bargain point in the lineup. It doesn't always show the depth of the best upper-level wines, but sometimes it is not far off. It will age well too—Fred estimates that it can do 15 years. Let's be a little conservative just now and take that in stages, but he's probably right. It will certainly be better and more developed in 2021-2023.
Rated 90/100 The Wine Advocate
2018 J.J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese...$45.99 / 750ml
This has all of the elements of a great spätlese, with pronounced acidity supporting the ripe peach, yellow apple, mango and spruce flavors, while hints of vanilla and piecrust add to the complexity. Still a bit intense, but this should develop beautifully with age, allowing the minerality to become more prominent. Best from 2022 through 2038. 150 cases imported.
Rated 93/100 Wine Spectator
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