WTN: Super WA Riesling

This one almost got overlooked. Between tastings of tannic reds at Washington State's Cadence winery and almost-as-big reds at nearby OS winery, we took a few sips of an OS Riesling and were unimpressed, our taste buds apparently numbed by Cab tannins and distracted by exceptionally pleasant Bordeaux blends. Luckily OS winemaker Bill Owen snuck a bottle of the Riesling into our bag when we left and we downed it the following night. My note:

2007 OS WINERY RIESLING HORSE HEAVEN HILLS CHAMPOUX VINEYARD Wow! what beautiful acid, and in perfect balance with the fruit. Not a whole lot of complexity now but who knows how many years this lovely wine is going to improve in the bottle, and at 9.8 percent alcohol even now this is a perfect sipper for a hot summer day. Champoux is one of Washington's finest vineyards, so maybe that's the key. Move over Eroica.

Move over Eroica is right! Here comes Poets Leap 2006 WA Riesling, perhaps the best (IMO) West Coast Riesling I have tasted yet. I am impressed that a wine like this comes from the Northwest. Great body & clarity, lots of up front fruit, green melons, grapefruit, pears and flowers with a touch of sweetness balanced with great acid. This is what Riesling should be here.

Michael

One I had the other day that had nice acidity was Kiona. I was not completely dry, maybe 06 was warm in WA. I liked the fruitiness.