|
HOME
> TASTING
NOTES >
RIESLING
|
RIESLING
|
|
July 10, 2000
• "Schloss" Johansen
|
Our latest go-round
with Rieslings delivered a wide range of styles from five
countries and scattered the preferences. One
ten-year-old, one five-year-old, and one brand new wine
insured lots of variety, in addition to the range of
styles and appellations. Marlene provided an assortment
of cheeses and ripe fruits and Roy added smoked trout and
a tart apple-horseradish salad that made delicious
accompaniments and allowed the Rieslings to show their
fragrance and delicacy as well as their versatility.
Still, the off-dry styles carried the day. Flaws tended
to be naked and accentuated in the dry wines and three
wines could gain neither our favor nor our
recommendation.
Brand
Varietal
or "Name"
Vintage Appellation "Vineyard"
-$Price
|
Consensus Tasting Notes
|
Rank
Recommendation
(VALUE)
|
|
Gainey
1999 Riesling
Central Coast
-$9.
|
Pale yellow
green. Attractive, complex, sweet, floral,
honeysuckle, woodruff, and tropical aromas with
suggestions of peach, apricot, citrus, pineapple,
grapefruit; pleasant, sweet-tart, off-dry
flavors; excellent balance; long, faintly
bitter finish.
|
#1
Highly
Recommended
|
|
Greenwood
Ridge
1999 Riesling
Mendocino
-$11.
|
Pale yellow
green. Attractive, clean, light floral and
fruit aromas suggest honey, honeysuckle, peaches,
pears, apricots, lemons; clean, melony,
green appley, off-dry flavors; crisp, tart,
racy balance; smooth, long
finish.
|
#2
Highly
Recommended
|
|
Rosemount
2000
Traminer-Riesling
Australia
-$6.
|
Pale yellow
green. Big, sweet, simple aroma with strong cotton
candy and bubble gum elements that suggest
newly bottled wine; bubble gum, mandarin orange,
candied flavors; slight spritz; sweet (some
thought too sweet), but with acid to balance; needs
a a few weeks to settle down.
|
#3
Recommended
BEST
BUY
|
|
Ventana
1998 Riesling
Monterey
Estate -$8.
|
Pale yellow
green. Complex, sweet-sour, floral,
orange peel, slightly acetic, terpene, chemical,
and musty aroma; sweet, appley entry and ripe,
grassy, off-dry flavors; good balance with a
tart middle; slight petillance; flat,
somewhat rich (sticky) finish.
|
#4
Recommended
|
|
Villa
Maria
1999 Riesling
Marlborough,
New Zealand -$10.
|
Light yellow.
Sweet, floral and vinous aroma with some honey and
spice; fresh, crisp, tart and nearly dry fruit
flavor with some caramel hints; good
balance; clean finish.
|
#5
Recommended
|
|
J.
Lohr
1999 Riesling
Monterey "Bay
Mist" -$8.
|
Extra pale
yellow. Floral, peach, apricot and green apple
fruit aromas with faint turmeric; ripe,
honeydew and citric, off-dry flavors; slight
petillance; good balance, crisp; short
finish.
|
#6
Recommended
|
|
Bonny
Doon
1998 Riesling
"Pacific Rim"
American
-$9.
|
Light yellow.
Initial hint of sulfur, muted and light
floral, pear aromas with suggestions of mineral,
bark, caramel; dry, flat, stale, faintly
pineappley, nondescript flavors lack fruit;
fair balance, needs fruit; no aftertaste or
finish.
|
#7
Somewhat
Recommended
|
|
Salomon
Steiner-Pfaffenberg
1990 Riesling
"Spätlese"
Austria
-$28.
|
Light yellow
color. Burnt rubber and sweat sock smells
dissipate somewhat after 10-15 minutes, dried
basil, overripe apple aroma; dry, slightly harsh,
swampy, oxidized flavors with some apple and
grapefruit; reasonably balanced.
|
#8
Not
Recommended
|
|
Trefethen
1998 Dry
Riesling
Napa Valley
-$13.50
|
Light yellow
color. Slightly fruity aroma with hints of
cardboard, filter pad, mineral, chemical,
petroleum, plastic; dry, flat, harsh
(bad wood?), acidic flavors; a finish that
bites.
|
#9
Not
Recommended
|
|
Trimbach
1995 Riesling
Alsace,
France -$15.
|
Medium yellow
color. Chemical, petroleum, burnt rubber,
mineral, and nutty smells over Mosel-like, baked
apple aroma; dry, slightly harsh, terpene, rubbery,
oily, sour, acidic, underripe fruit flavors;
slightly bitter tannins.
|
#10
Not
Recommended
|
This
Panel
included Regulars Mark, Deanna, Glenn,
Roy, Marlene, Jon, Ray, Jim, Greg, and James
and Guest Patrick
Previous
Riesling
• About
Riesling
|
|
