Rob,
The Navarro cluster select late harvest is a TBA-type wine. It measures up in a way that nothing else from California does.
OK, cool.
That makes sense, although the couple I’ve tasted didn’t quite reach the level of the top Rieslings Ch. St. Jean made back in the distant past.
It IS beautiful up there. Have to go back next time I’m out in Napa/Sonoma wine country.
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Quick answer: no. Qualified by the fact that there have been some lovely sweeter, richer wines made. But the climates are totally different. How can you compare a very marginal climate area (Germany) to a land where every year ripens with almost exactitude?
I agree that Ojai’s Kick On Riesling might be the real deal…time will tell.
These are all fine suggestions but do they really measure up to the finest German/Austrian/Alsatian?
no
not even close
A few years ago I participated in a blind tasting of Finger Lakes Riesling versus some QbA and Kabinett wines from Germany. The only Finger Lakes winery that was competitive was Hermann J. Weimer. They make the best dry and off dry Riesling in the USA in my opinion (outdistancing Navarro & Stony Hill in their respective styles - Navarro still best with the sweeties), and can only compete at the entry level with Germany.
Not that I’m aware of.
… and, if it’s true that Hermann J. Wiemer makes the best Rieslings in the U.S. (they are the best I’ve ever had), then my answer is an emphatic, “No. Hell no. Not even close.”
If you are going to go that far - is there another Riesling that is even in the ballpark of Clos Ste Hune? The only one I have had is the '01 “375th Anniversary” bottling of Frederic Emile.
Oh, quite a few. Just off the top of my head…
From Germany:
Donnhoff’s Hermannshohle GG
Schafer-Frohlich’s Felseneck GG
Rebholz’s Ganz Horn or Kastanienbusch GG
From Austria:
Nikolaihof Steiner Hund
Alzinger Steinertal
Hirtzberger Singerriedel
Prager Bodenstein and Achleiten
FX Pichler Kellerberg, Steinertal or Unendlich
And that’s not even getting into the list of Rieslings with some residual sugar (e.g. Egon Muller’s Scharzhofberger or Robert Weil’s Grafenberg).
I will make an effort to try some of those… I have had Schafer-Frohlich’s Felseneck and Prager Bodenstein and Achleiten. IMHO not at the same level. I preferred the Prager.
I remember reading an article, I believe by Josh Reynolds awhile ago, that he believes Clos Ste Hune is France’s best white wine. I could not find the link to post…
When I was in Burgundy last March, one of the restaurants had a tremendous amount of Clos Ste Hune vintages on its list - it was hard for me to not get the incredible 1990 instead of a Burgundy!
Clos Ste Hune is still a singular wine in terms of its style, but it does not have the overall quality edge it used to. The pack has caught up (Hune is still Hune - it has not slipped), and given the current pricing of Hune it has zero value proposition compared to some of the wines on Salil’s list.
That said, if it’s Hune you want then there’s really no equivalent.
David beat me to it. While I like Navarro’s drier rieslings (and would certainly consider ordering them off a wine list depending on other choices) what I buy from them every year is a few bottles of the LHCS bottlings, the Pinot Noir grape juice and occasionally the dry muscat.
So…given that no Calif Rieslings are world-class (a given I’m not willing to concede) because the terroirs/climates are different
and they’ll never be as great as German Rieslings…apples & oranges…let’s reframe the question:
Are there any Alsatian Rieslings (again…different terroir/climate) as great as German Rieslings???
Be forewarned…trick question…for which only I have the correct answer.
Tom
A trick question requires a trick answer - there is not a font large enough for my reply .
This might be an exeprt of what I read: The Wine House of Trimbach | John Gilman Wine Reviews
While I like Hune a great deal, probably my two best experiences with Riesling from Alsace have been the 1989 and 1990 Trimbach CFE VTs.
Yes, Hune is one of the great wines - but there are other Rieslings (dry and sweet) that I feel are every bit its equal, although certainly very different expressions.
I would say that there’s a lot of Alsatian Rieslings that surpass Germany.
My absolute favorite Riesling producer comes from Alsace - Domaine Weinbach. Their entire lineup, from entry level to Grand Cru to Grand Cru Cuvée Sainte Catherine " L’Inédit ! " bottlings are utterly amazing.
Forgetting the different expressions of the grape, there’s nothing in California (except the aforementioned Navarro CSLH - exception that proves the rule) that comes close in quality. Nothing.
Can world class wine be made anywhere else besides places the Cistercian Monks touched?
California doesn’t even make the best Riesling in the US, Washington does.
California doesn’t even make the best Riesling in the US, Oregon does. Just as a matter of opinion.
Good argument could be made for Michigan producing better Riesling than California.
I’ve been drinking Navarro Riesling since the 70’s, and while the late harvest ones are delicious, they fall far short of German versions.
P Hickner