VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Eroica
2000 Riesling
Columbia Valley, WA

Pale yellow; very fragrant with slate, mineral and sweet, fruity, green apple, pear, peach, lychee and very floral, honeysuckle aromas; clean, elegant, very light apple fruit flavors; light body with a lively touch of spritz; rich, good balance; pleasant, crisp finish, 12%. Very clean, refreshing, completely appealing and easy to drink, although a little atypical and a little pricey. ($19) Produced as a joint venture between Washington's Ch. St. Michelle & Dr. Loosen of Germany. WEBSITE

Greenwood Ridge
2000 Riesling
Estate Bottled, Mendocino Ridge

Very pale yellow; clean, bright, typical, sweet tropical, apricot, peach, candied fruit, floral and mineral aromas; off-dry, rich, big, mouth-filling apricot, pineapple, peach and mineral flavors; medium body, lively, faint effervescence; good balance; quite a clean, long finish, 12.5%. This winery consistently makes exemplary and enjoyable Riesling that fairly shouts California and ripeness. ($11.50) WEBSITE

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Ch. Benoit
2000 Riesling
Willamette Valley, OR

Very pale green; faint aroma suggests pears, peaches, Granny Smith apples, citrus, grapefruit, bubble gum or gum drops, sealing wax and minerals, unfortunately with also some rotten egg (blows off in 4-6 minutes); nice, simple flavors, fruity, green apple, honey and citric; light body; good balance, slightly low acid; clean, dry finish, 10.5%. Once this wine airs out a little, there are some nice, albeit subtle aromas and flavors. ($10.50) WEBSITE

Ch. St. Jean
2000
Johannisberg
Riesling
Sonoma County

Pale green-yellow; clean, muted, fruity, pear, peach, green apple, pineapple, slightly floral, faintly honeyed, dried fruit or caramel aroma; clean, sappy, fresh, fruity pear and apricot flavors, slightly sweet; light body, faint spritz; tangy, very good balance; crisp, clean, grapefruity finish, 12.5%. Another winery with a consistent history of excellent and tasty Rieslings, although this vintage seems particularly delicate. ($10.50) WEBSITE

RECOMMENDED

Bonny Doon
1999 "Pacific Rim" Riesling
California, Washington, Germany

Pale yellow; old, earthy, petrol, mineral and muted, very vague, delicate pear, nectarine, perfume and floral aromas; somewhat bland, quite dry flavors; lean, light body; well-structured, tart balance, faint bitterness; finish, 13%. We have liked this wine much better on previous occasions and from previous vintages; this one seems fatigued, bland, unfocused, losing its fruit stamina. The unique package still has amusement value; look for more recent vintages. ($8) BEST BUY WEBSITE

Hogue
1999 Riesling
Columbia Valley,
WA

Pale yellow; clean, complex, steely, slate, fruity, citric, floral-green, lemon grass or geranium aromas; sweet peachy entry, dry with light, tight, simple, slightly minerally, petrol flavors; light to medium body; tart, good balance; slightly astringent, drying finish, 12.5%. Another light example of Riesling, but also fairly easy to quaff and a great bargain. ($6) BEST BUY WEBSITE

J. Lohr
1999 White
Riesling
Monterey,
Bay Mist

Pale yellow; clean, light, pleasantly fruity, pear, apple, apricot, peach and floral aromas with hints of honey and minerals; sweet flavors are bubble-gum, kool-aid, vaguely suggest apple or pear, but could frankly use more fruit; light body; sound balance, may be slightly low acid; turns slightly bitter in the not too lingering finish, 10.5%. Although this wine was reasonably pleasant, it was also not very vibrant and somewhat of a disappointment from this generally reliable producer. ($8) BEST BUY WEBSITE

TASTED

Dr. Weins-Prüm
1998 Riesling - Kabinett
Wehlener-Sonnenur, Mosel

Medium yellow-gold; smoky-musty, oak, petrol, mineral aromas over muted apricot fruit with a touch of vegetable and rotten egg; sweet, muted, wispy flavors; very light body, watery; austere, tart balance; sweet-tart, sticky finish, 8%. This wine may have been delicious a year or two year back but it's very delicate style is fading fast; saved on this occasion by the braised pork stew. ($14) *WEBSITE - in German

Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan
1998 Riesling, Q.b.A.
Pfalz, Rhein

Medium green-gold; very light fruit, candy and flinty, minerally, petrol or sweaty aromas with faint matchstick (and possibly mercaptan?); dry, lean, somewhat steely, minerally flavors; good mouth feel with rich, slightly oily body; tart (sour?), well-balanced; long finish, 11.5%. This wine, in slightly better condition than the Mosel, was also greatly assisted by the stew. Controversial; those that ranked it high were offset by tasters that labeled this wine "unripe" and ranked it low; one of those love or hate wines. ($8) WEBSITE n/a

NOT RECOMMENDED

Fess Parker
1999 White Riesling
Santa Barbara County

Medium yellow-gold; apricot, grapefruit, Botrytis, minerals, faint petrol or rubber in the somewhat grassy, musty, tanky aromas; weak, older, earthy, slightly oxidized flavors with mineral or metallic hints; light body with oily texture; flabby balance; apricot bitterness and slight heat in the finish, 12%. Although complex, this wine is tired, has seen better days and may have been stored too warm. Too bad, Fess (you're still our hero) ... ($12) WEBSITE