Boston Wine & Poker, Lincoln, Mass.: Tasted blind. This was in a riesling bottle but I didn't think it was riesling -- it seemed too ebullient. Moderate acidity. Honey and tropical fruit. Based on the bottle shape and the exoticism, I guessed Alsatian pinot gris.
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Lemon yellow with green highlights. This wine shows a very appealing petrol, orange blossom, pear, white peach, passionfruit, lemon and lime zest character accented with a kiss of wet stone
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Consistent with notes from a year ago. Paired nicely yet again with medium Indian Food (Lamb Shank Vindaloo). Good juicy acidity with an oily, viscous texture. Drink 2023-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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Easy on the nose, it wafts aromas of white peach, pear, orchid, petrol, and dried apricot. Medium in body, the acid has softened in a very pleasant way revealing a round and plush mouthfeel. The flavors include sweet lemon-lime and tangerine, marzipan, green apple, subtle ginger, slate. This has developed nicely in the five years since I’ve last tasted it. I’m going to give our last bottle another few years as I think it’ll develop some baked qualities before declining.
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Bright, light cold, appears young. Initially when cold this seems a little flabby, but improves considerably with warming. The nose is not exactly like a German Riesling, but there are notes of citrus, apple, peach and perhaps a little bit of petrol. Good acidity and it should last although I’m not sure it will improve.I enjoyed this wine with an Asian chicken dish, especially when I decided to enjoy it on its own and not have expectations of it as more classic Riesling.
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Great petrol nose. Taste is a little muted with some lemon, lime and floral notes. Slightly astringent mid palate through the finish. Would be interesting to see if things smooth out in a few more years. Plenty of acidity to go a lot longer, just have to hope the fruit holds on.
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Much evolved since last tasting 4+ years. Still good lime-infused acidity with high-tone orange and tangerine notes, only this now brings an oily petrol, almost diesel, note on the nose. As usual, paired well with medium spicy Indian food. Drink 2022-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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Very good, true to the varietal non-Austrian rendering of Riesling. Classic touch of gasoline on the nose and Windex on the palate. Stone fruits on the front palate with a sweet affect that dissipates quickly. Grapefruit and good minerality on the mid-palate. Smooth, complex and layered. Very impressive and surprisingly traditionally crafted for a California white.
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Light golden color, nose of mineral and peach. Medium to long finish, very plush and smooth mouthfeel. Great dry Riesling. Taste of peach, apricot and maybe some melon. Drinking excellently right now.
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Echoing CHAIRMANZIAN, this was fine but somewhat disappointing, lacking the complexity I was hoping for. Drinks off-dry, perhaps about like a feinherb and a touch more sweet than a halbtrocken. Was actually a bit drier than I had wanted/needed for the spicy Sichuan food I drank it with, but of course that is all on me and not to blame on the wine. Fun to try, good for Napa, and all respect given for attempting/doing this in Napa, but for the price I would generally drink German.
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green apples, white peach, apricot, kiwi, lime, slight saline, citrus peel, orange blossom and crushed rock
again, always mad props to SM for planting riesling on spring mountain instead of raking in money by planting cab.
while it pales compared to germany and alsace, its good for what it is in california. not overripe, not super sweet. just enough but not superiorly complex
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Light golden color in the glass. At first petrol but after a bit a more floral nose. White peach, guava on the palate with nice acidity and a nice dry finish.
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Developing very nicely. Still a touch reductive on opening. Nice nose of petrol and flint. Opens to white blossoms and peach with some white pepper and wet stone. Fruit is very delicate. Very nice acidity. It still boggles my mind that this is from Napa. Great stuff.
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Last drunk about this time back in 2018, I found that bottle a little fresher and livelier compared to this (second of three purchased at the same time). The petroleum on the nose wasn't as pronounce, the mid palate was more subdued and the finish clean but not particularly interesting.
I confess to not being as big a Riesling fan as I might be but when I do find myself in such a mood I will still default to Europe or even Australia before spending a lot more time in California chasing this grape. Too much wine, too little time ......
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Light greenish yellow. Fresh and complex nose with stone fruits, wavy like paraffin, lime and minerality. Medium tannins (6/10) with balanced acidity and a medium minus to medium body. Waxy mouthfeel with limes, minerality and a hint of flowers. Long finish. Drink till 2030.
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Fantastic! Citrus, lemon, great level of a acidity. Touch of petrol. Very consistent with my note from a year ago ... I can see why they say these Rieslings ago for long time.
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Wine Tasting Group - Napa and Sonoma - Jan 18, 2020 (Classic Wine Storage, Dallas, TX): Double decanted for 1.5h. Nice petrol nose with tart apples and minerals. Palate had tart apples, minerals, petrol, and herbs. Medium bodied with excellent acids with a creamy mouthfeel. More reminscent of Austrian or Alsatian than German rieslings in texture. Really drinking well. One of my favorites of the night.
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Drier than a Mosel Kabinett; sweeter than Alsatian Riesling. Nectarine and stone, with bracing acidity. Very refreshing, and versatile with food. Don't know how it will age, but drinking well right now.
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Very pale yellow. Nose if mild petrol, lemon, and herbs. Silky smooth on the palate. Long finish. Wonderful Riesling! We are usually pretty snobbish about Riesling (it should be mosel). This is one we would drink anytime.
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Once again, these unique offerings from garagiste wins again. This was a great for an “old” Napa white — a riesling from the spring mountain district. Bright fruit with lemony acidity and medium long length. Complex enough to elevate beyond an ordinary white, for sure, but approachable enough that it doesn’t call for a red carpet. Good stuff.
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This is a great riesling. Reminds of certain rieslings from Mosel - this is still very fresh, with a light aroma of petrol (wife says its clay/minerals). Minerals on the palate, with lemon. Great balance between the acidity and sweet notes.
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Delicious! I did not know quite what to expect. You get a full nose of really quite developed petrolly riesling. Then on the palate it's energetic and concentrated, and despite having a bit of Germanic character, finishes rather dry. Very impressive.
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Coravin. Yellow-golden; medium-plus aromatics with some stone fruit, some minerality; palate is dry, balanced alcohol, medium to medium-plus acidity, lemon zest; finish is medium length with a nice tangy feel. A lovely Alsace-styled riesling for the price. 90
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Excellent riesling. I concur with another taster that this wine presents itself in the Alsatian style, with agreeable ripeness and ample body, but also a luscious zippiness that makes it very food-friendly.
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Pnp. Medium hay in colour. Nose of peaches and limes with a hint of unripe bananas with some minerality. On the palate, there are zesty lemons and limes with some apples at the end; a slight touch of honey is noticed; semi chalky minerally finish. Medium bodied with a medium+ finish. Alsatian-like for sure from my limited experience(maybe more closer to an Alsatian Gruner than Riesling).
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Now entering middle age, this wine features a nose of petrol and honey leads to more of the same. A true-to-form riesling, medium-bodied and just slightly off-dry, with a hint of minerality and moderate acidity adding interest to the peach and white flower flavors. Elegant, and at $20, a good but not great value from Garagiste.
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Coravin 9/8/18. Lemon yellow; aromatic, lemon-lime, flinty, a bit of peach; palate is medium bodied, fresh medium-plus acidity, dry, medium alcohol, lemon zest; medium tangy finish. This is excellent for an Alsatian-style riesling but still with a california spin. 90
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Greengage plums and apricots on nose, complemented by stones and ample acidity on palate; RS tastes around kabinett level, yet 12.8% abv and high acidity give it a trocken-style feel; vines date to 1971; very varietally correct riesling but in a style of its own and good QPR
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I usually don't look to Napa of all places for my Rieslings. Germany (duh), Austria, Australia (partial to Clare Valley Rieslings), even Luxenbourg before Napa but what can I say - right price, good recommendation, wth.
Classic petroleum nose that explodes in your head. Dry on the palate but balanced. Apple and citrus notes. Not a lot of depth or linger on the finish. Paired with a spicy Indian dish which really brought out the inherent ripeness (but again, this wine is dry) of this bottling. Very nice.
Definitely worth the experiment and since I bought three bottles I guess its not entirely over just yet.....
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Nice dry Riesling that is quite food friendly. Very good acidity, nice grapefruit flavors, with some hints of minerality. I found this to be a nice value at the $20 I paid.
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I see a lot of comments about how dry and austere this wine is. Maybe compared to German Spatlese, but it is sweeter than many Trockens or Alsace Rieslings. Quite a bit of fruit up front, followed by an electrifying acid shock of crushed sea shell and stone. Long finish where some of this wine's complexity shows it best. A bit jarring, but enjoyable. Very distinctive. I don't think I've had a Napa Riesling before, but this is a good example of what New World bravado can do with Old World charm.
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A dry Riesling with good minerality and very strong acidity. This wine needs to be drunk with food. its too austere as a stand alone endeavor. inferior to many Rieslings I drink, but for $20 a good value.
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Definitely a DRY Riesling, all the sugar has clearly been eaten up by the yeast. There is good minerality and there is plenty of dry fruit, rather austere with significant acidity, making it perfect for Asian food...not everyone's style, but well done for the style. Drink Now.
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Pale lemon color. Expressive nose of white peach, citrus, honeysuckle, a bit of petrol and some golden apple. Very nice. Similar flavors on the palate with mostly citrus and stone fruit flavors mixed with some mineral driven notes on the back end. A good amount of fruit but well balanced with the acidity and mostly dry with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Very versatile and plenty of structure to age. Steal of a wine at the price paid.
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Color - Very pale green with yellow highlights Aromas - Appealing and aromatic with petrol, orange blossom, pear, lemon and lime zest, and wet stones Body - Light-bodied, dry, and impeccably balanced with very refreshing acidity and a great mouthfeel Taste - White peach, pear, lemon-lime, and honey flavors with a hint of apricot gelée and very appealing minerality. Finish - Long
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Bitter grapefruit, medium acidity (for a riesling), not much on the apple/pear spectrum. If anything seems slightly underripe. In fairness I enjoyed this more than this makes it sound, though I couldn't help but wonder if it would be better with a little more RS.
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Dream Big, California Wines (Hotel Atlantic, Hamburg, Germany): One glass, brief note: Nose more herbal than fruit aromas, on the palate spicy, herbal again, not that much fruit, some oranges, harmonic and light to midbodied, ending long with a still strong supporting acidity, maybe needs more time, a very good example of an unknown producer for me until now, **-(***-?), 88+ potential
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I'm an off dry Riesling sort of man but this is a nice dry specimen. Some rocks and grapefruit on the nose. Very luxurious palate with a mouth filling finish. Melon and apple, some spice. Tons of acidity. Length is well above average. Definitely needs to be right temperature, if it gets a little warm in the glass it loses a bit of its mojo.
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Pobega'd after arriving from BerserkerDay. Crisp green apple, lime, orange blossom and white floral aromas. The palate matches, just off dry, adding stone fruit (white peach & nectarine). Light acidity/minerality. Enjoyable riesling, drinking well now but I'll hold my second bottle a few years to see how it ages.
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Pale lemon color. Vivid aromatics of yellow apple, lychee, rose hips, marzipan, wet stone and concrete. Luscious and succulent on the palate, with tropical and tree fruit highlights filled in with subtle notes of sweet spices, mineral and flowers. Richly textured, medium-high acidity, loads of depth. Mouthwatering and juicy on the finish, good length. Excellent- drink/hold.
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Slate light golden color. Nose prominent waxiness with some petrol, some lemon/bright citrus. Palate very well balanced, stone fruit richness with bright acidity, strong minerality, finish with hint of citrus pith bitterness (per J), just enough off-dry slight sweetness to balance a lightly spicy Indian paneer curry. Really enjoyable and I think an outstanding qpr.
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MNB: Semi-Terpenic Whites III (Home (Noe st)): (non-blind - my wine) Pale straw, bright color. Slight TDN, underripe peach, Meyer lemon. Slight bruised apple acetaldehyde. 6g RS, medium alcohol - 12.5%, high acid, medium body, long finish. mineral and tense on the palate.
Very nice - but starting to fade under Coravin a bit.
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Napa Valley Wine and Food Excursion 2017; 11/7/2017-11/11/2017 (Napa Valley, California): Straw-colored, off-dry and very reminiscent of a high-quality kabinett-level offering from the Rheingau, this estate-grown, Spring Mountain Riesling is quite impressive. Intense aromas and flavors of orchard fruits, tangerines, honeysuckle, lavender and crushed rocks are supported by fresh acidity and invisible alcohol (12.8%). Beautifully dense in the middle and finishing very long, this makes a great argument for rekindling the Riesling flame in the Napa Valley, assuming that the grapes are grown in the ideal sites for the varietal. Drink now-2024.
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W/Tim. Consistent with previous bottles. Beautiful stony fruit with modest and well-integrated TDN that extends the terpenes. Flashes of lime and Meyer lemon. High acid, light sweetness (Alsace AOP level - around 7g). Long mineral finish. Just beautiful.
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Joel II: Green apples, cold lemon, modest TDN. Pale straw. Lightly sweet 7g. Beautiful clean minerals on the palate. Dense ripe lime. Key lime. Long finish. High acid.
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MNB: Grab Bag (Home (Noe st)): (non-blind) Clear, bright, medium minus gold color. Some tartaric acid crystals - not cold-stabilized. Aromatic nose of TDN (petrol, pool toy), green apple, and ripe lime. On the palate, lightly sweet - feels 7g (actually 7.6g), medium alcohol (feels 12.5% - actually 12.8%), high acid, no bitterness. Nice clean finish with some underripe peach and more citrus. Mineral notes on the finish.
Would blind as Alsace AOP Riesling. No Botrytis.
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Seems sweeter than past vintages. Apricots, kiwi-lime, green apples, and diesel with a good saline weight and mouthfeel. Drink after 2020. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 90.
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American Rieslings: Aromas of lime, banana, yellow flowers, apricot, peach. So vibrant on the palate with racy acidity but plenty of texture and packed with fruit (peach, orange, apricot, lime) with lots of quinine, minerals, mountain stream and honeycomb. Complex and delicious, so suave.
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Lemon-yellow; aromatic, lemon, citrus, minerality, slight petrol; light bodied, completely dry, medium-plus to high acid, medium alcohol (12.5%), pear and lemon fruit; clean medium length finish. Good but feels a bit more reticent than my last bottle. I'll try to hold my last bottle for a few years... 89-90. Few hours air: Riper fruit, more peach; still fresh on the palate but also some riper pear fruit. Opened up a bit since I first tasted it. 90 Day 2: Similar.
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Bright nose of tennis ball, limey minerality, apricot, banana leaf and peach. The palate is medium bodied with a high viscosity and cutting acidity. Loads of lemon, lime and slate on the initial hit, followed by white pepper as it turns to key lime pie with whipped cream and a hint of nutmeg and gets lush. The acid carries through on the long finish. Expertly crafted riesling with a promising decade of evolution ahead.
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Bachelor party (Napa Valley, CA): Light lemon-yellow; nose is aromatic, white fruit; palate is light to medium bodied, peach and pear fruit, dry, nice fruit, medium acidity, nice balance; medium finish. 90
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Dense flavors on the palate, with complexity if you pay attention at the right moment. Slight RS - feels like 10g (actually only 7.5g! I mistook fruit ripeness for sugar), medium body, medium alcohol - 12.5%, high acid (a balance of malic and tartaric), and a long stony finish.
I would blind this as Alsace every time, but there's a wonderful cleanness and sunlight to the fruit.
The best Riesling I've had from California by far, but one of the better Alsace-style Rieslings I've had, period!
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Smith-Madrone: Light gold color. Complex aromas of white peach, lime and banana, along with white tea, floral perfume, notes of saline and crushed rocks. Plum fruit (nectarine, peach, lime) but it's pure and zesty with a dry profile and focused acidity. Lovely mix of chalk, mountain stream, minerals, nettle, cut flower stems. Super clean and refreshing but lots of staying power for the cellar. One of the most consistently inspiring Rieslings from California.
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Decanted for 1 h. Petrol, peaches, and mineral aromas. Palate follows with nice acids and herbs add complexity. Nice weight and well balanced. Just ripe peach fruit rounds out the acids nicely
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Very impressive, especially for a California riesling; The palate is nicely rounded, with pear, apple, crushed minerals and a touch of residual sugar; There's great acidity on the finish for a Napa riesling and I would love to try this again in a few more years
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I'm not sure how these guys pull it off in Napa Valley, but they make what is consistently one of the best bottles of Riesling in the US. Always on the dry side, with very low PH and high TA, these will remind you of Germany and/or Alsace, depending on the vintage.
This year's version, I would say, is more Alsatian. The nose is of white flowers and apricot. The PH is incredibly low at 3.05, which means you will perceive the acidity as being pronounced. It is. But it doesn't completely obscure the fruit, which is lime, pear, and apple driven. The finish is refreshingly long and very mouth-watering. A wine to be enjoyed with food, for sure.
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5/26/2024 - talbot61 Likes this wine:
Boston Wine & Poker, Lincoln, Mass.: Tasted blind. This was in a riesling bottle but I didn't think it was riesling -- it seemed too ebullient. Moderate acidity. Honey and tropical fruit. Based on the bottle shape and the exoticism, I guessed Alsatian pinot gris.
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5/20/2024 - tastark Likes this wine:
Brought this to our blind tasting group. Definitely a curve ball. Lots of people saying alsatian or dry german riesling. Was really drinking well.
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11/2/2023 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lemon yellow with green highlights. This wine shows a very appealing petrol, orange blossom, pear, white peach, passionfruit, lemon and lime zest character accented with a kiss of wet stone
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12/4/2022 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with notes from a year ago. Paired nicely yet again with medium Indian Food (Lamb Shank Vindaloo). Good juicy acidity with an oily, viscous texture. Drink 2023-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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11/4/2022 - goodvitis.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Easy on the nose, it wafts aromas of white peach, pear, orchid, petrol, and dried apricot. Medium in body, the acid has softened in a very pleasant way revealing a round and plush mouthfeel. The flavors include sweet lemon-lime and tangerine, marzipan, green apple, subtle ginger, slate. This has developed nicely in the five years since I’ve last tasted it. I’m going to give our last bottle another few years as I think it’ll develop some baked qualities before declining.
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10/26/2022 - vindictive wrote:
Bright, light cold, appears young. Initially when cold this seems a little flabby, but improves considerably with warming. The nose is not exactly like a German Riesling, but there are notes of citrus, apple, peach and perhaps a little bit of petrol. Good acidity and it should last although I’m not sure it will improve.I enjoyed this wine with an Asian chicken dish, especially when I decided to enjoy it on its own and not have expectations of it as more classic Riesling.
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4/27/2022 - domco wrote:
Great petrol nose. Taste is a little muted with some lemon, lime and floral notes. Slightly astringent mid palate through the finish. Would be interesting to see if things smooth out in a few more years. Plenty of acidity to go a lot longer, just have to hope the fruit holds on.
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12/25/2021 - MadeiraLev Likes this wine: 88 Points
Simple: some notes of apple and organics with some lingering acidity. I suspect it was more compelling a few years ago. Limited finish. Drink now!
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11/1/2021 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much evolved since last tasting 4+ years. Still good lime-infused acidity with high-tone orange and tangerine notes, only this now brings an oily petrol, almost diesel, note on the nose. As usual, paired well with medium spicy Indian food. Drink 2022-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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7/22/2021 - Space Nine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good, true to the varietal non-Austrian rendering of Riesling. Classic touch of gasoline on the nose and Windex on the palate. Stone fruits on the front palate with a sweet affect that dissipates quickly. Grapefruit and good minerality on the mid-palate. Smooth, complex and layered. Very impressive and surprisingly traditionally crafted for a California white.
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7/17/2021 - jonmartin1520 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light golden color, nose of mineral and peach. Medium to long finish, very plush and smooth mouthfeel. Great dry Riesling. Taste of peach, apricot and maybe some melon. Drinking excellently right now.
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2/10/2021 - SeaWine wrote:
Echoing CHAIRMANZIAN, this was fine but somewhat disappointing, lacking the complexity I was hoping for. Drinks off-dry, perhaps about like a feinherb and a touch more sweet than a halbtrocken. Was actually a bit drier than I had wanted/needed for the spicy Sichuan food I drank it with, but of course that is all on me and not to blame on the wine. Fun to try, good for Napa, and all respect given for attempting/doing this in Napa, but for the price I would generally drink German.
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1/28/2021 - pkouchu wrote: 92 Points
green apples, white peach, apricot, kiwi, lime, slight saline, citrus peel, orange blossom and crushed rock
again, always mad props to SM for planting riesling on spring mountain instead of raking in money by planting cab.
while it pales compared to germany and alsace, its good for what it is in california. not overripe, not super sweet. just enough but not superiorly complex
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1/20/2021 - chairmanzian wrote: 88 Points
Pleasant, crisp, dry, but a little simplistic. Not a bad weekday wine but would have expected more from Smith-Madrone.
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12/5/2020 - nefarm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious. Nice acidity.
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11/26/2020 - jonmartin1520 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at Thanksgiving. Mineral and crisp citrus (lemon and lime) with a bit of pear flavor. Drinking great
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10/10/2020 - wineoracle Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light golden color in the glass. At first petrol but after a bit a more floral nose. White peach, guava on the palate with nice acidity and a nice dry finish.
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10/1/2020 - tastark Likes this wine:
Developing very nicely. Still a touch reductive on opening. Nice nose of petrol and flint. Opens to white blossoms and peach with some white pepper and wet stone. Fruit is very delicate. Very nice acidity. It still boggles my mind that this is from Napa. Great stuff.
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8/21/2020 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 87 Points
Last drunk about this time back in 2018, I found that bottle a little fresher and livelier compared to this (second of three purchased at the same time). The petroleum on the nose wasn't as pronounce, the mid palate was more subdued and the finish clean but not particularly interesting.
I confess to not being as big a Riesling fan as I might be but when I do find myself in such a mood I will still default to Europe or even Australia before spending a lot more time in California chasing this grape. Too much wine, too little time ......
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8/14/2020 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Light greenish yellow. Fresh and complex nose with stone fruits, wavy like paraffin, lime and minerality. Medium tannins (6/10) with balanced acidity and a medium minus to medium body. Waxy mouthfeel with limes, minerality and a hint of flowers. Long finish. Drink till 2030.
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3/22/2020 - azwino wrote:
Fantastic! Citrus, lemon, great level of a acidity. Touch of petrol. Very consistent with my note from a year ago ... I can see why they say these Rieslings ago for long time.
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3/13/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
With some diesel on the nose and just a faint touch of sweetness.
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1/18/2020 - James Kim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine Tasting Group - Napa and Sonoma - Jan 18, 2020 (Classic Wine Storage, Dallas, TX): Double decanted for 1.5h. Nice petrol nose with tart apples and minerals. Palate had tart apples, minerals, petrol, and herbs. Medium bodied with excellent acids with a creamy mouthfeel. More reminscent of Austrian or Alsatian than German rieslings in texture. Really drinking well. One of my favorites of the night.
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12/8/2019 - jayw Likes this wine:
Drier than a Mosel Kabinett; sweeter than Alsatian Riesling. Nectarine and stone, with bracing acidity. Very refreshing, and versatile with food. Don't know how it will age, but drinking well right now.
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11/8/2019 - Mneumeier wrote: 91 Points
Drinking great.
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11/2/2019 - eyewino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very pale yellow. Nose if mild petrol, lemon, and herbs. Silky smooth on the palate. Long finish. Wonderful Riesling! We are usually pretty snobbish about Riesling (it should be mosel). This is one we would drink anytime.
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9/17/2019 - Aparritz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Once again, these unique offerings from garagiste wins again. This was a great for an “old” Napa white — a riesling from the spring mountain district. Bright fruit with lemony acidity and medium long length. Complex enough to elevate beyond an ordinary white, for sure, but approachable enough that it doesn’t call for a red carpet. Good stuff.
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8/28/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
It is frankly right in the pocket for a "winery whose wines don't put out on the first date" I am being told.
Green tea and slightly very slightly sweet and "pretty awesome" and bill is glad he waited.
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7/28/2019 - azwino wrote:
This is a great riesling. Reminds of certain rieslings from Mosel - this is still very fresh, with a light aroma of petrol (wife says its clay/minerals). Minerals on the palate, with lemon. Great balance between the acidity and sweet notes.
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6/30/2019 - The Wine Write Likes this wine:
Bright tropical fruit. Just a hint of petrol in the aromatics. Crisp and delicious.
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5/28/2019 - gtilley wrote:
Delicious! I did not know quite what to expect. You get a full nose of really quite developed petrolly riesling. Then on the palate it's energetic and concentrated, and despite having a bit of Germanic character, finishes rather dry. Very impressive.
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5/26/2019 - TX Wine Guy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is aging nicely - really delicious!
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5/19/2019 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Brought to MJs. Only had a small glass but was nice and consistent with previous notes.
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5/9/2019 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Coravin. Yellow-golden; medium-plus aromatics with some stone fruit, some minerality; palate is dry, balanced alcohol, medium to medium-plus acidity, lemon zest; finish is medium length with a nice tangy feel. A lovely Alsace-styled riesling for the price. 90
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1/19/2019 - Connecticut Wino Likes this wine: 89 Points
Excellent riesling. I concur with another taster that this wine presents itself in the Alsatian style, with agreeable ripeness and ample body, but also a luscious zippiness that makes it very food-friendly.
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12/22/2018 - Mneumeier wrote: 90 Points
Drinking great. Would hold longer.
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11/21/2018 - AMC Eagle wrote: 93 Points
Pnp. Medium hay in colour. Nose of peaches and limes with a hint of unripe bananas with some minerality. On the palate, there are zesty lemons and limes with some apples at the end; a slight touch of honey is noticed; semi chalky minerally finish. Medium bodied with a medium+ finish. Alsatian-like for sure from my limited experience(maybe more closer to an Alsatian Gruner than Riesling).
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11/15/2018 - Mr T wrote:
drank with friends as an aperitif and really quite good...excellent fruit, cut and balance. Would not have guessed Napa in a million years
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10/13/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous note.
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10/4/2018 - tastark Likes this wine:
Another fantastic bottle.
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9/18/2018 - MBusk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Now entering middle age, this wine features a nose of petrol and honey leads to more of the same. A true-to-form riesling, medium-bodied and just slightly off-dry, with a hint of minerality and moderate acidity adding interest to the peach and white flower flavors. Elegant, and at $20, a good but not great value from Garagiste.
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9/12/2018 - Announcer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Paired nicely with modestly spicy barbecued shrimp
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9/8/2018 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Coravin 9/8/18. Lemon yellow; aromatic, lemon-lime, flinty, a bit of peach; palate is medium bodied, fresh medium-plus acidity, dry, medium alcohol, lemon zest; medium tangy finish. This is excellent for an Alsatian-style riesling but still with a california spin. 90
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8/13/2018 - bklynwine wrote:
Greengage plums and apricots on nose, complemented by stones and ample acidity on palate; RS tastes around kabinett level, yet 12.8% abv and high acidity give it a trocken-style feel; vines date to 1971; very varietally correct riesling but in a style of its own and good QPR
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8/5/2018 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
I usually don't look to Napa of all places for my Rieslings. Germany (duh), Austria, Australia (partial to Clare Valley Rieslings), even Luxenbourg before Napa but what can I say - right price, good recommendation, wth.
Classic petroleum nose that explodes in your head. Dry on the palate but balanced. Apple and citrus notes. Not a lot of depth or linger on the finish. Paired with a spicy Indian dish which really brought out the inherent ripeness (but again, this wine is dry) of this bottling. Very nice.
Definitely worth the experiment and since I bought three bottles I guess its not entirely over just yet.....
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7/29/2018 - Pinkerton Likes this wine: 87 Points
Mineral with subtle citrus overtones. This has Chardonnay-esque qualities. E.g. Butter on the nose and palate.
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7/28/2018 - azwino Likes this wine:
Aromatic, Refreshing, with a touch of petrol.
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6/29/2018 - Mr T wrote:
Excellent dry Riesling
Really quite good and not big fruity Cali wine
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4/17/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice dry Riesling that is quite food friendly. Very good acidity, nice grapefruit flavors, with some hints of minerality. I found this to be a nice value at the $20 I paid.
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4/16/2018 - jayw Likes this wine:
I see a lot of comments about how dry and austere this wine is. Maybe compared to German Spatlese, but it is sweeter than many Trockens or Alsace Rieslings. Quite a bit of fruit up front, followed by an electrifying acid shock of crushed sea shell and stone. Long finish where some of this wine's complexity shows it best. A bit jarring, but enjoyable. Very distinctive. I don't think I've had a Napa Riesling before, but this is a good example of what New World bravado can do with Old World charm.
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4/15/2018 - gpritsch wrote: 89 Points
A dry Riesling with good minerality and very strong acidity. This wine needs to be drunk with food. its too austere as a stand alone endeavor.
inferior to many Rieslings I drink, but for $20 a good value.
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4/15/2018 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definitely a DRY Riesling, all the sugar has clearly been eaten up by the yeast. There is good minerality and there is plenty of dry fruit, rather austere with significant acidity, making it perfect for Asian food...not everyone's style, but well done for the style. Drink Now.
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3/21/2018 - Rich S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pale lemon color. Expressive nose of white peach, citrus, honeysuckle, a bit of petrol and some golden apple. Very nice. Similar flavors on the palate with mostly citrus and stone fruit flavors mixed with some mineral driven notes on the back end. A good amount of fruit but well balanced with the acidity and mostly dry with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Very versatile and plenty of structure to age. Steal of a wine at the price paid.
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3/21/2018 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color - Very pale green with yellow highlights
Aromas - Appealing and aromatic with petrol, orange blossom, pear, lemon and lime zest, and wet stones
Body - Light-bodied, dry, and impeccably balanced with very refreshing acidity and a great mouthfeel
Taste - White peach, pear, lemon-lime, and honey flavors with a hint of apricot gelée and very appealing minerality.
Finish - Long
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3/16/2018 - Tubulus wrote: 89 Points
Bitter grapefruit, medium acidity (for a riesling), not much on the apple/pear spectrum. If anything seems slightly underripe. In fairness I enjoyed this more than this makes it sound, though I couldn't help but wonder if it would be better with a little more RS.
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3/12/2018 - fc1910 wrote:
Dream Big, California Wines (Hotel Atlantic, Hamburg, Germany): One glass, brief note: Nose more herbal than fruit aromas, on the palate spicy, herbal again, not that much fruit, some oranges, harmonic and light to midbodied, ending long with a still strong supporting acidity, maybe needs more time, a very good example of an unknown producer for me until now, **-(***-?), 88+ potential
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3/10/2018 - azwino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tart, lemon, with a touch of petrol
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2/14/2018 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 91 Points
I'm an off dry Riesling sort of man but this is a nice dry specimen. Some rocks and grapefruit on the nose. Very luxurious palate with a mouth filling finish. Melon and apple, some spice. Tons of acidity. Length is well above average. Definitely needs to be right temperature, if it gets a little warm in the glass it loses a bit of its mojo.
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2/4/2018 - David_T wrote: 90 Points
Pobega'd after arriving from BerserkerDay. Crisp green apple, lime, orange blossom and white floral aromas. The palate matches, just off dry, adding stone fruit (white peach & nectarine). Light acidity/minerality. Enjoyable riesling, drinking well now but I'll hold my second bottle a few years to see how it ages.
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1/28/2018 - EMichels wrote: 88 Points
Nice nose; Good fruit; Nice acid
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1/28/2018 - jimmythesaint wrote:
Lovely bottle of wine with a touch of petrol, lime zest, with a bright finish. I’d give the wine more time in the bottle but it won’t disappoint.
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1/12/2018 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pale lemon color. Vivid aromatics of yellow apple, lychee, rose hips, marzipan, wet stone and concrete. Luscious and succulent on the palate, with tropical and tree fruit highlights filled in with subtle notes of sweet spices, mineral and flowers. Richly textured, medium-high acidity, loads of depth. Mouthwatering and juicy on the finish, good length. Excellent- drink/hold.
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1/9/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Winorama: A winter in Wineland II; 1/6/2018-1/14/2018 (Portland, Eureka, Napa): Very nice Riesling. Very dry but with good floral characteristics. Young, but I appreciated that. Came across as quite fresh. Good acidity. An old favorite for us and fun to find it by the glass at Acacia House.
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1/7/2018 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is one of the best Rieslings I've had from CA. Beautiful and just a suggestion of sweetness.
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12/14/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slate light golden color. Nose prominent waxiness with some petrol, some lemon/bright citrus. Palate very well balanced, stone fruit richness with bright acidity, strong minerality, finish with hint of citrus pith bitterness (per J), just enough off-dry slight sweetness to balance a lightly spicy Indian paneer curry. Really enjoyable and I think an outstanding qpr.
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11/20/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote:
MNB: Semi-Terpenic Whites III (Home (Noe st)): (non-blind - my wine)
Pale straw, bright color.
Slight TDN, underripe peach, Meyer lemon. Slight bruised apple acetaldehyde.
6g RS, medium alcohol - 12.5%, high acid, medium body, long finish.
mineral and tense on the palate.
Very nice - but starting to fade under Coravin a bit.
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11/8/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Napa Valley Wine and Food Excursion 2017; 11/7/2017-11/11/2017 (Napa Valley, California): Straw-colored, off-dry and very reminiscent of a high-quality kabinett-level offering from the Rheingau, this estate-grown, Spring Mountain Riesling is quite impressive. Intense aromas and flavors of orchard fruits, tangerines, honeysuckle, lavender and crushed rocks are supported by fresh acidity and invisible alcohol (12.8%). Beautifully dense in the middle and finishing very long, this makes a great argument for rekindling the Riesling flame in the Napa Valley, assuming that the grapes are grown in the ideal sites for the varietal. Drink now-2024.
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11/8/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 91 Points
W/Tim.
Consistent with previous bottles. Beautiful stony fruit with modest and well-integrated TDN that extends the terpenes. Flashes of lime and Meyer lemon. High acid, light sweetness (Alsace AOP level - around 7g). Long mineral finish. Just beautiful.
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9/30/2017 - rocknroller wrote:
Sunfish Cellars Fall Tasting (Sunfish Cellars, St. Paul, MN): Tasting pour, completely overwhelmed by the petrol currently, hints of lime and citrus in the background. Ugh, disappointing.
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8/20/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
Joel II: Green apples, cold lemon, modest TDN. Pale straw.
Lightly sweet 7g. Beautiful clean minerals on the palate. Dense ripe lime. Key lime. Long finish. High acid.
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8/14/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
MNB: Grab Bag (Home (Noe st)): (non-blind)
Clear, bright, medium minus gold color. Some tartaric acid crystals - not cold-stabilized.
Aromatic nose of TDN (petrol, pool toy), green apple, and ripe lime.
On the palate, lightly sweet - feels 7g (actually 7.6g), medium alcohol (feels 12.5% - actually 12.8%), high acid, no bitterness. Nice clean finish with some underripe peach and more citrus. Mineral notes on the finish.
Would blind as Alsace AOP Riesling. No Botrytis.
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8/6/2017 - TX Wine Guy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent again!
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7/30/2017 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Seems sweeter than past vintages. Apricots, kiwi-lime, green apples, and diesel with a good saline weight and mouthfeel. Drink after 2020. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 90.
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7/20/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Diesel and perfume, well that is delicious.
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6/4/2017 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
American Rieslings: Aromas of lime, banana, yellow flowers, apricot, peach. So vibrant on the palate with racy acidity but plenty of texture and packed with fruit (peach, orange, apricot, lime) with lots of quinine, minerals, mountain stream and honeycomb. Complex and delicious, so suave.
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5/10/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Lemon-yellow; aromatic, lemon, citrus, minerality, slight petrol; light bodied, completely dry, medium-plus to high acid, medium alcohol (12.5%), pear and lemon fruit; clean medium length finish. Good but feels a bit more reticent than my last bottle. I'll try to hold my last bottle for a few years... 89-90.
Few hours air: Riper fruit, more peach; still fresh on the palate but also some riper pear fruit. Opened up a bit since I first tasted it. 90
Day 2: Similar.
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4/15/2017 - goodvitis.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright nose of tennis ball, limey minerality, apricot, banana leaf and peach. The palate is medium bodied with a high viscosity and cutting acidity. Loads of lemon, lime and slate on the initial hit, followed by white pepper as it turns to key lime pie with whipped cream and a hint of nutmeg and gets lush. The acid carries through on the long finish. Expertly crafted riesling with a promising decade of evolution ahead.
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4/8/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Bachelor party (Napa Valley, CA): Light lemon-yellow; nose is aromatic, white fruit; palate is light to medium bodied, peach and pear fruit, dry, nice fruit, medium acidity, nice balance; medium finish. 90
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4/8/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 91 Points
Bachelor Party trip to Napa/Sonoma (Sonoma, Napa, SF): Pale straw in the glass. Beautiful nose of varietally correct TDN/petrol and stony lemon notes. Alsatian without the botrytis.
Dense flavors on the palate, with complexity if you pay attention at the right moment. Slight RS - feels like 10g (actually only 7.5g! I mistook fruit ripeness for sugar), medium body, medium alcohol - 12.5%, high acid (a balance of malic and tartaric), and a long stony finish.
I would blind this as Alsace every time, but there's a wonderful cleanness and sunlight to the fruit.
The best Riesling I've had from California by far, but one of the better Alsace-style Rieslings I've had, period!
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3/3/2017 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Smith-Madrone: Light gold color. Complex aromas of white peach, lime and banana, along with white tea, floral perfume, notes of saline and crushed rocks. Plum fruit (nectarine, peach, lime) but it's pure and zesty with a dry profile and focused acidity. Lovely mix of chalk, mountain stream, minerals, nettle, cut flower stems. Super clean and refreshing but lots of staying power for the cellar. One of the most consistently inspiring Rieslings from California.
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2/26/2017 - TX Wine Guy Likes this wine: 95 Points
LOVE this wine - a great, dry Riesling - great with cheese, fish, chicken - my favorite Riesling by far.
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12/18/2016 - James Kim wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1 h. Petrol, peaches, and mineral aromas. Palate follows with nice acids and herbs add complexity. Nice weight and well balanced. Just ripe peach fruit rounds out the acids nicely
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10/2/2016 - ravikalaga Likes this wine: 90 Points
Showing really well. Still pure; so not Napa.
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9/18/2016 - cdebeau Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dry with hint of sweetness, nice minerality
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8/21/2016 - cdebeau Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dry, smooth Riesling
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8/15/2016 - tastark Likes this wine:
Consistent with prior notes, though the acidity seemed less noticeable this time around.
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8/2/2016 - eluebchow wrote: 90 Points
Very impressive, especially for a California riesling; The palate is nicely rounded, with pear, apple, crushed minerals and a touch of residual sugar; There's great acidity on the finish for a Napa riesling and I would love to try this again in a few more years
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6/14/2016 - tastark Likes this wine:
I'm not sure how these guys pull it off in Napa Valley, but they make what is consistently one of the best bottles of Riesling in the US. Always on the dry side, with very low PH and high TA, these will remind you of Germany and/or Alsace, depending on the vintage.
This year's version, I would say, is more Alsatian. The nose is of white flowers and apricot. The PH is incredibly low at 3.05, which means you will perceive the acidity as being pronounced. It is. But it doesn't completely obscure the fruit, which is lime, pear, and apple driven. The finish is refreshingly long and very mouth-watering. A wine to be enjoyed with food, for sure.
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