This wine is in a perfect place right now. A little age on it, but still bright and holding loads of fruit. On the nose find peaches, nectarines, peonies, key lime and orange blossom. The palate is light and fresh, think beeswax without the honey. Fennel pollen, pink lady apples, and meyer lemon make this wine interesting and downright delicious.
These vines are some of the oldest Riesling vines in the country.
This wine was allowed to ferment naturally in neutral French oak barrels and aged for five months. It was fermented to dry, has no residual sugar and completed Malo.
75 cases produced.
2016 Kobza Rielsing
$20.00
The first grape that Ryan sourced from Wirz vineyard, these vines are currently pushing 60 years old, some of the oldest Riesling vines in the country. They are head trained, own rooted and dry farmed. They are pretty damn special.
I so badly want the conversation around Riesling in American to change. Currently, people assume it will be sweet. If they don’t, they tend to want to compare it to old world Riesling in some way. California Riesling is in a class by itself, particularly when it is old vine and planted in limestone and allowed to ripen slowly. It is more subtle and sublime, racy and sun-kissed. It doesn’t have to pair with spicy food, it doesn’t need the pigeon hole of Asian or spicy flavors.
American Riesling has pizzaz and personality, more versatile than polarizing. A white wine that I promise you will love, whether you want to sip and consider, or you just want to put something in your face.