Incredible precision and balance at 10+ years of age. Secondary notes coming into the forefront. Drink 2021-2026. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 91.
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waxy, with some weight. Not too much. In a field that would include brandborg of similar age with a 0.5% ABV lead. Grape and going towards mushroom. Acid is medium. Day 3 camping and slamming. Not as waxy, but still a modest (not honey crisp) apple. Still shows the body and the medium acid. But nicely balanced in a body kind a way.
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Extremely well made and unlike any other CA Riesling I've ever had. Still youthful with some petrol notes coming through. Zesty fruit with a nice mineral edge and balanced acidity on the finish. Still has plenty of miles left on it. Will let my last bottle rest. PJP 2018.
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Outstanding domestic Riesling, consistent with previous notes but the body is adding weight and really filling out. Have three remaining and will hold to drink over the next 5-10 years.
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Consistently excellent wine though 4 bottles. Diesel and honey on the nose and a fresh acidity carrying peppered apple and citrus fruits to a medium finish. Clean and refreshing.
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My last of 6 bottles. Clean and spicy, citrus (lemon meringue), maybe a little herbaceous. Medium acidity and good length. It was a good run but I don't see this wine improving. The spice leaves the impression.
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In more of a subtle, closed phase, but it still brought subtle nuances of tart grapefruit and petrol as it warmed. Went lovely, as always, with spicy Thai takeout.
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A hint of sweetness, and I still say drink sooner rather than later. 1 year. A hint of petrol. No acid. I thought the color was slightly darker than my last 2 bottles. A taste of green apples. Mothers day brunch with the family. Purchased after a visit with Charlie Smith.
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Not as yummy as my last tasting 2 years ago. Much more reserved. I have another bottle left, and expect to drink it sooner rather than later. Drank this with a bagels and lox Christmas brunch.
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Drank it. It was wonderful. Starting to turn a corner from its youthful acid expression. tree fruit is maturing, but everyone drank it before I could dig my heals in.
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Pale gold color. Shy aromas of apples, lychee, unripe pears, maybe a hint of pineapples and rocks. Palate shows nice acidity with an elegant melange of gala apples, pineapples, lychee, and a hint of minerals. Nice weight and body. Nice juicy and long finish. Only thing missing are rocks and some complexity. Cold vintage in Napa but nicely done still.
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Thoroughly enjoyable wine that is unmistakably Riesling with a nosr of gasoline, white pepper and tart apple. The palate was more tropical but nuanced and well integrated with spicy and oily notes. great balance and juicy saltiness that provides for a long finish.
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Much improved from previous bottle, at least on night one. Decanted 2+ hours and drank with mild Indian Madras Curry with chicken and mixed veggies. Same notes as before, but picking up more sour green apples and even touches of funk/brett on the nose. There is a lingering petrol/oily note that carries nicely from the nose to mid-palate to finish, which is easily 30-seconds. Solid now but this wine has many better years ahead.
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Opened and let air for about 30-min prior to dinner with spicy Thai food. To be honest, the heat of the food overpowered much of the nuances and subtleties noted by others, though this wine was firm enough to stand up to the spicy curry. DAY 2: Getting lots of petrol and kiwi lime on the nose, followed by more high citrus notes and slight hints of mint, eucalyptus, herbs and fresh lemon on the palate. The finish lasts a good 30 seconds and brings out a nice oily viscosity in the texture. This is darn good and I won't overpower it next time, but I sense this bottle is still in shock from recent shipping across the US, or perhaps this wine is just entering a dumb phase. Will try again in a few months.
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Consistent from previous tasting but with a greater sense of apple sweetness and oiliness aromatically. The palate began to develop more hints of petrol also, adding complexity. Quite lovely.
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Pale golden color, with just a hint of green. Tropical fruit aromas give way to honeyed stone fruit, herb, mineral, and citrus notes on the palate. Starts plush and ends crisp, in an elegant way. Medium finish.
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Even tho this is quite dry, it has just enough RS and edge to cut thru Indian food. It's our go-to wine at our local BYO Indian place. The wine probably deserves a match that allows its complexity and depth to show better.
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In line with the previous bottle. A more austere event, emphasis on clean and mineral presentation. A bit metallic with a pinch of residual sweetness that makes it intriguing. 12.9% alc.
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Some of the vibrance has dropped out, but this still has strong structure, rich stone fruit notes, with a dry hard finish. Goes really well with a whole host of foods. This held up very well to air and drinking the next day. So no rush to drink now.
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It feels like this wine is going downhill. Great minerality but the fruit is draining. Great pedigree, solid structure, but it leaves me longing for the wine I had 1.5 years ago.
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Still very bright with lots of green apple notes and hints of minerality. Definitely finishes dry. Starting to round out with time - plenty of acidity to last for the long-haul.
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2nd time drinking this wine, last time was in April at winery with owner. Beautiful nose of green apples and pineapples, with perhaps a tint of oil. Elegant and long palate and finish, fresh acidity, lots of minerality - overall the wine had great balance and distinct flavours though not overly complex at this point. Complemented quite well Chinese stir fried lobster, fried fish, crab in shell etc. over dinner.
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Medium (-) lemon. aromas of lemon meringue, lime leaf, mineral. palate shows, KAPOW!!!, high acid, really a screamer in the best possible way. a screamer, in the only possible way. palate really slices through and a medium finish that's only destined to get better. and a really temptuous whispering floral notes in all that palate appeal. BUY
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Tasted this with Charlie Smith in Napa. According to him, this is more Alsatian than German. 13%. dry. A hint of sweetness that gets better as this warms to room temperature. Delicate. Crisp. Low in sugar. A yellowish/clear color. Charlie says this is a 20 - 25 year wine. I popped one of my bottles yesterday with smoked salmon and other smoked breakfast/brunch fish. I'll revisit this wine in 2013.
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Consistent with previous note though this bottle strikes me as leaner. Lemony nose and flavor, light tropical/peachy notes, dry and acidic. Lovely stuff. Amendment: The complexity only grows as the wine warms up. There's a lot going on here. I'm upping my score.
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Tasted this on October 3, 2011 at Smith-Madrone from the tank outside the barn. The bottling truck came the following day to bottle this and other wines. Picked up on Wednesday the 5th of October under oath that we would not drink any time soon. After tasting several Rieslings during our trip to Spring Mountain, this one set the benchmark for Spring Mountain Rieslings of that vintage. What struck me wasn't the fruit, which was remarkable, but the amazing balance of slight residual sugar and acidity (pH of about 3.0). Tasted absolutely bone dry with a slight vein of minerality. Pure genius of wine grape growing and wine making. This one will compete with the best from Alsace or Germany. Perhaps good for 20+ years. Inspiration for anyone who grows and/or makes Riesling. Can't wait to open one of my bottles at some point to taste again. If you come across one near you or visit Spring Mountain, this one is a no-brainer.
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4/23/2021 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Incredible precision and balance at 10+ years of age. Secondary notes coming into the forefront. Drink 2021-2026. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 91.
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1/4/2020 - ljl203 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful pineapple and white flowers, Rose's lime juice. In great balance.
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7/13/2019 - nzinkgraf wrote:
waxy, with some weight. Not too much. In a field that would include brandborg of similar age with a 0.5% ABV lead. Grape and going towards mushroom. Acid is medium.
Day 3 camping and slamming. Not as waxy, but still a modest (not honey crisp) apple. Still shows the body and the medium acid. But nicely balanced in a body kind a way.
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8/18/2018 - ppaluszewski Likes this wine: 95 Points
Extremely well made and unlike any other CA Riesling I've ever had. Still youthful with some petrol notes coming through. Zesty fruit with a nice mineral edge and balanced acidity on the finish. Still has plenty of miles left on it. Will let my last bottle rest. PJP 2018.
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2/2/2016 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Outstanding domestic Riesling, consistent with previous notes but the body is adding weight and really filling out. Have three remaining and will hold to drink over the next 5-10 years.
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1/21/2016 - Tudz Drkl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistently excellent wine though 4 bottles. Diesel and honey on the nose and a fresh acidity carrying peppered apple and citrus fruits to a medium finish. Clean and refreshing.
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12/27/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 45-min and drank with with spicy sushi. Was a refreshing pairing after four days of heavy wines and heavy holiday food.
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8/22/2015 - jeffal66 Likes this wine: 89 Points
My last of 6 bottles. Clean and spicy, citrus (lemon meringue), maybe a little herbaceous. Medium acidity and good length. It was a good run but I don't see this wine improving. The spice leaves the impression.
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8/2/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really good juicy burst of grapefruit, lime, and petrol on this bottle, leaving a lingering finish.
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6/8/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
In more of a subtle, closed phase, but it still brought subtle nuances of tart grapefruit and petrol as it warmed. Went lovely, as always, with spicy Thai takeout.
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5/10/2015 - dhammer53 wrote: 89 Points
A hint of sweetness, and I still say drink sooner rather than later. 1 year. A hint of petrol. No acid. I thought the color was slightly darker than my last 2 bottles. A taste of green apples. Mothers day brunch with the family. Purchased after a visit with Charlie Smith.
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1/9/2015 - VincentMallory wrote:
Dry for a Reisling, green apple taste
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12/28/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Phenomenal, especially after 45 min out of the fridge. Paired perfectly with a roasted turkey, stuffing, and green bean casserole feast.
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12/25/2014 - dhammer53 wrote: 89 Points
Not as yummy as my last tasting 2 years ago. Much more reserved. I have another bottle left, and expect to drink it sooner rather than later. Drank this with a bagels and lox Christmas brunch.
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12/25/2014 - VincentMallory Likes this wine:
Not too sweet for a reisling. A bit acidic/sharp.
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12/17/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Drank it. It was wonderful. Starting to turn a corner from its youthful acid expression. tree fruit is maturing, but everyone drank it before I could dig my heals in.
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11/15/2014 - jeffal66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Spicy nose. White pepper, apple. In line with previous notes.
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10/26/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Green apple, tart lime, sweet lemon and oily viscosity really emerging. Fantastic with premium sushi.
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6/10/2014 - James Kim wrote: 90 Points
Pale gold color. Shy aromas of apples, lychee, unripe pears, maybe a hint of pineapples and rocks. Palate shows nice acidity with an elegant melange of gala apples, pineapples, lychee, and a hint of minerals. Nice weight and body. Nice juicy and long finish. Only thing missing are rocks and some complexity. Cold vintage in Napa but nicely done still.
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5/27/2014 - Tudz Drkl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Thoroughly enjoyable wine that is unmistakably Riesling with a nosr of gasoline, white pepper and tart apple. The palate was more tropical but nuanced and well integrated with spicy and oily notes. great balance and juicy saltiness that provides for a long finish.
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2/26/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much improved from previous bottle, at least on night one. Decanted 2+ hours and drank with mild Indian Madras Curry with chicken and mixed veggies. Same notes as before, but picking up more sour green apples and even touches of funk/brett on the nose. There is a lingering petrol/oily note that carries nicely from the nose to mid-palate to finish, which is easily 30-seconds. Solid now but this wine has many better years ahead.
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2/4/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and let air for about 30-min prior to dinner with spicy Thai food. To be honest, the heat of the food overpowered much of the nuances and subtleties noted by others, though this wine was firm enough to stand up to the spicy curry. DAY 2: Getting lots of petrol and kiwi lime on the nose, followed by more high citrus notes and slight hints of mint, eucalyptus, herbs and fresh lemon on the palate. The finish lasts a good 30 seconds and brings out a nice oily viscosity in the texture. This is darn good and I won't overpower it next time, but I sense this bottle is still in shock from recent shipping across the US, or perhaps this wine is just entering a dumb phase. Will try again in a few months.
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2/3/2014 - omakasekt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent from previous tasting but with a greater sense of apple sweetness and oiliness aromatically. The palate began to develop more hints of petrol also, adding complexity. Quite lovely.
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10/19/2013 - scott davis wrote: 90 Points
Pale golden color, with just a hint of green. Tropical fruit aromas give way to honeyed stone fruit, herb, mineral, and citrus notes on the palate. Starts plush and ends crisp, in an elegant way. Medium finish.
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8/25/2013 - grapist Likes this wine:
Even tho this is quite dry, it has just enough RS and edge to cut thru Indian food. It's our go-to wine at our local BYO Indian place. The wine probably deserves a match that allows its complexity and depth to show better.
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6/17/2013 - jeffal66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
In line with the previous bottle. A more austere event, emphasis on clean and mineral presentation. A bit metallic with a pinch of residual sweetness that makes it intriguing. 12.9% alc.
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3/13/2013 - plechazunga wrote:
Some of the vibrance has dropped out, but this still has strong structure, rich stone fruit notes, with a dry hard finish. Goes really well with a whole host of foods. This held up very well to air and drinking the next day. So no rush to drink now.
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12/25/2012 - jeffal66 wrote: 90 Points
It feels like this wine is going downhill. Great minerality but the fruit is draining. Great pedigree, solid structure, but it leaves me longing for the wine I had 1.5 years ago.
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12/16/2012 - plechazunga Likes this wine:
Still very bright with lots of green apple notes and hints of minerality. Definitely finishes dry. Starting to round out with time - plenty of acidity to last for the long-haul.
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8/8/2012 - jeffal66 wrote: 91 Points
Perhaps less emphatic than I recall but damned good American Riesling. Mineral and firm. Perfect with oysters.
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7/26/2012 - kscopela wrote: 94 Points
Love this wine. Bright crisp and acidity screaming of apples and citrus. Great food wine or by your own.
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6/17/2012 - omakasekt wrote: 91 Points
2nd time drinking this wine, last time was in April at winery with owner.
Beautiful nose of green apples and pineapples, with perhaps a tint of oil. Elegant and long palate and finish, fresh acidity, lots of minerality - overall the wine had great balance and distinct flavours though not overly complex at this point. Complemented quite well Chinese stir fried lobster, fried fish, crab in shell etc. over dinner.
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5/27/2012 - Bayfield_Cabin_Cellar wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine. Dry with a slight sweet finish; crisp apple, apricot and lemon hints--not overpowering and on the dry side.
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3/16/2012 - Sizeola wrote: 92 Points
One of my favorites, consistently good. Went well with ham.
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3/11/2012 - pvd420 wrote: 90 Points
very pretty, great balance in an almost dry style
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2/28/2012 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Medium (-) lemon. aromas of lemon meringue, lime leaf, mineral. palate shows, KAPOW!!!, high acid, really a screamer in the best possible way. a screamer, in the only possible way. palate really slices through and a medium finish that's only destined to get better. and a really temptuous whispering floral notes in all that palate appeal. BUY
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2/27/2012 - dhammer53 wrote: 91 Points
Tasted this with Charlie Smith in Napa. According to him, this is more Alsatian than German. 13%. dry. A hint of sweetness that gets better as this warms to room temperature. Delicate. Crisp. Low in sugar. A yellowish/clear color. Charlie says this is a 20 - 25 year wine. I popped one of my bottles yesterday with smoked salmon and other smoked breakfast/brunch fish. I'll revisit this wine in 2013.
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2/15/2012 - jeffal66 wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous note though this bottle strikes me as leaner. Lemony nose and flavor, light tropical/peachy notes, dry and acidic. Lovely stuff. Amendment: The complexity only grows as the wine warms up. There's a lot going on here. I'm upping my score.
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12/26/2011 - jeffal66 wrote: 92 Points
Dry, minerally, clean. Paired with Rhode Island oysters, it was perfect.
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12/22/2011 - ppaluszewski wrote: 95 Points
Tasted this on October 3, 2011 at Smith-Madrone from the tank outside the barn. The bottling truck came the following day to bottle this and other wines. Picked up on Wednesday the 5th of October under oath that we would not drink any time soon. After tasting several Rieslings during our trip to Spring Mountain, this one set the benchmark for Spring Mountain Rieslings of that vintage. What struck me wasn't the fruit, which was remarkable, but the amazing balance of slight residual sugar and acidity (pH of about 3.0). Tasted absolutely bone dry with a slight vein of minerality. Pure genius of wine grape growing and wine making. This one will compete with the best from Alsace or Germany. Perhaps good for 20+ years. Inspiration for anyone who grows and/or makes Riesling. Can't wait to open one of my bottles at some point to taste again. If you come across one near you or visit Spring Mountain, this one is a no-brainer.
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