Favorite Riesling from USA ?

WINE TALK
21

Not familiar with NY Riesling, but really don’t find much of interest in WA Riesling.

In OR, try Paetra, Trisaetum, Brooks, and (if you can find it) old Matello bottles - Marcus stopped bottling a varietal Riesling in 2012 IIRC, but if you can’t find those try his Whistling Ridge White Field Blend. Still made and has a nice dollop of Riesling. Really good wine year in and year out.

22

Wiemer even has his own nursery:

Nursery - Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard

So if you live far enough north [or sufficiently high up in the mountains] to escape Pierce’s Disease, then you can grow your very own Wiemer rieslings right there in your back yard.

23

Paetra is superb … and if you have connections in Canada, have them send you some Tantalus.

24

I sold Weimer when Herman was handing the reins to Fred and yes they are very good.

California stand out by a mile is Stony Hill.

Wanting to like Oregon Riesling but so far nothing better than OK. Same for Washington. Smaller sample size here on mostly low to mid bottles.

25

Oregon and Washington have some nice wines:

Trisaetum - Has become popular but for good reason. They make 8+ different bottlings
Idiot’s Grace
Savage Grace
Teutonic - He does a LOT of fun white varietals that are really nice
Cristom
Brooks
Failla - New to Oregon but is making nice wine

26

I would throw in Sleight of hand’s version as well.

27

Eroica and Savage Grace are my two favorites from Washington

28

Now that is intriguing.

29

Had a bottle of the 2017 Stony Hill over the weekend. It was my first bottle of their Riesling in I don’t know how long.

Unfortunately it had significant reduction, despite being under cork. Even after three days it was still noticeable.

30

I thought this until I tried some of the Forge Cellars wines.

The Wiemer single vineyards are nice, but SO expensive, and I generally think Ravines Argetsinger and the Forge Cellars wines are slightly better for much less money.

31

My top recs would be:

  • Bloomer Creek’s second harvest rieslings (both Auten and Barrow vineyards) are outstanding, very textural and ripe though not totally dry. They often have a ginger/lemongrass spice character to them that makes them beguiling and versatile food partners. Someone above compared to Auslese, though I think GC Alsace is a more apt comparison.
  • Forge Cellars makes riesling in a high-extract style finished in neutral wood that will appeal to those with a palate for Chablis (chabliesling?). Both their blends and single vineyard expressions are all exceptional (Liedenfrost is my favorite of the SVs).
  • Red Newt Cellars makes very lean and incisive rieslings that often have an assertive lime and petrol character. The Tango Oaks vineyard riesling is my favorite among these.
  • Herman Wiemer continues to push their quality. The HJW vineyard is consistently my favorite year after year as it tends to show a distinctly mineral character.
  • Bellwether Wine Cellars A&D Vineyard has a really German stylistic character with really bright acid, full mid-palate, and tense orchard fruits. Kris has been consistently improving the winemaking every vintage and is now among one of the best with riesling around here.
  • As others have noted Ravines’ Argetsinger is a classic as well, though often needs a little more time. Lots of wet slate and white peach in that wine.

Other high-quality producers include Barry Family Cellars, Boundary Breaks, Nathan Kendall, Standing Stone, Fox Run, and Anthony Road.

32

Just had a Nathan Kendall 2016 Dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes. It ranks up there with Ravines and Wiemer offerings. Had a bit more complexity and seemed slightly more fruit driven than Ravines from the same vintage.

33

Fascinating. I was coming here to post that Navarro’s late harvest cluster select rieslings (as well as the gewurtz and muscat) are sensational. Their regular rieslings are quite good. I’ll have to try the Deep End if I’m not on buying hiatus when it comes out.

34

We have enjoyed Kemmeter from FLX along with some of the others already mentioned. I’d add Tatomer and Maidenstoen to the CA list; both are in Santa Barbara County. And Smith Madrone in Napa.

35

Definitely up there for me too. Have had a few vintages of Kendall Riesling and they are right up there with many of their German counterparts.

36

These wines age really well too. Recently had an '11 from him (cooler vintage up here) that was lean and angular but so complex and pithy. His style is still evolving but I would say it sits somewhere in between Wiemer (lush, opulent) and Ravines (tense, stony).

37

The people on this forum can be such a great resource. Thanks to all for the suggestions and the comments. Very helpful! -Jim

38

I second these - and some of the reserve bottlings from RED NEWT CELLARS - also Finger Lakes -

39
40

One footnote on Nathan Kendall’s wines. Like the Trinchero’s in Italy, he is no longer allowed to use his last name on his label because that would pose a threat to America’s supply of mediocre wine. These days the wines go by the name “Nathan K”, which is important to know if you’re using wine-searcher.