Brand
Varietal
or "Name"
Vintage Appellation
-$Price
|
Consensus Tasting Notes
|
Rank
Recommendation
(VALUE)
|
|
Bonny
Doon
"Pacific
Rim Riesling"
1998 American -$7.25
|
Attractive,
intense, clean, racy, sweet, floral (jasmine) aroma
with suggestions of apple, peach, apricot and
tropical fruit; similar flavors almost suggest
muscat; great balance, crisp, green apple-like
tartness; long finish.
|
#1
Very
Highly Recommended
BEST BUY
|
|
Bonny Doon
"Critique
of Pure Riesling"
(nv) American -$18.
|
Delicate floral
and apple aroma with fennel and botanical
(honeysuckle) complexities and some initial fusel
or mineral; big honey, mango and citrus (lemon)
flavors; creamy texture; tart acidity, finishes
slightly hard.
|
#2
Very
Highly Recommended
|
|
Trefethen
Riesling
1997 Napa Valley
-$11.
|
Very pale;
petrol, fusel, terpene, filter pad and mineral
elements dominate apple, peach and lemon fruit
aroma; clean fruit flavor of apple sauce, pineapple
and minerals; rich, slightly oily texture; quite
dry, long.
|
#3
Highly
Recommended
|
|
Paraiso
Springs
Riesling
1997 Monterey
-$10.
|
Faint diesel or
fusel, flint and filter pad over floral (geranium,
woodruff) and apricot aroma with a faint spiciness;
slightly sweet, honeyed apple and apricot flavors;
controversy over finish; sweetest wine of
group.
|
#4
Highly
Recommended
|
|
Claiborne &
Churchill
Dry Riesling
"Alsatian
Style"
1997 Central Coast
-$11.
|
Faint
mineral-petrol-terpene with musty-mushroomy,
nutty-almond, possible Botrytis over ripe apricot
fruit aromas; ripe melon, peach and apricot
flavors; quite rich, viscous, creamy mouthfeel;
good balance, finish.
|
#5
Highly
Recommended
|
|
Pfeffingen
Riesling
1997 Rheinpfalz
-$11.
|
Subtle floral and
green apple aroma with hints of flint, minerals and
wet straw; subdued, but complex honey, Granny Smith
apple and lime flavors; very dry and quite tart,
almost sour, needs food accompaniment.
|
#6
Recommended
|
|
Domaines
Weinbach
"Cuvée
Theo" Riesling
1996 Alsace -$28.
|
Deep yellow
color; ripe (overripe?) apricot fruit with oak,
butterscotch and musty elements in the aroma;
mineral, lemon, ripe fig and cooked or processed
apple (oxidized?) flavors; dry and tart; long
finish.
|
#7
Recommended
|
|
Trimbach
Riesling
1995 Alsace -$28.
|
Very light muted
floral (woodruff) and nectarine aroma with hints of
slate, minerals and Botrytis; very light and
seemingly underripe flavors; thin body; tart,
austere, almost aspirin-like finish; especially
surprising for its age. Needs food to
accompany.
|
#8
Recommended
(with
reservations)
|
This
panel
included Mark, Deanna, Glenn, Diana, Marlene,
Jon, Ray, Jim, Ron, and
Greg.
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Riesling
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Riesling
|
