You may have noticed Washington has emerged as a world class growing region for Riesling. In fact, to date Washington is the largest producer of Riesling in America (subject to change…as we all know). The Columbia Valley’s hot summer temperatures and cool evenings coupled with average temperatures during off months (only slightly higher than those of Alsace and Germany), create crisp, acidic characteristics that make for exceptional quality Riesling. In addition, the diversity among the vineyard sites of the Columbia Valley produce a wide range of styles from bone dry to botrytis sweet desert wines. Riesling is not only popular for it’s bright fruit and floral flavors but also because it pairs so well with fresh seafood and spicy dishes.
There are many great producers of Washington Riesling, the most prominent being Chateau Ste. Michelle. Although I cannot confirm, I’ve heard that Chateau Ste. Michelle is the worldwide leader in the production of Riesling by volume! They produce several variations, their most prestigious being Eroica. Eroica is a collaboration between winemaker Bob Bertheau from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Ernst Loosen from the Dr. Loosen Estate on the Mosel River in Germany. These two talented producers combine Old World tradition, modern techniques and Washington grapes to produce outstanding, award winning wine.
Riesling can have an exciting range of aromas. Expect things like apricot, peach, orange blossom, lime, and honey, along with minerals, spice and petrol. As mentioned earlier, Riesling can run dry to sweet. If the wine is low in alcohol (below around 9% abv), you can assume it’s on the sweeter side and will taste as such. Often Riesling with 10% abv and higher may taste sweet but will have very little residual sugar, thus showcasing not sweet as much as fruit. The bright notes and aromatics of riesling make it a fantastic wine for summer so enjoy while that sun is still shining!
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