*Josh briefly mentioned this type of wine in his post about his dinner in Dallas.*
A couple of weeks ago, two of my brothers, Harbs and Blake, came down for the WSU-OSU football game. Being one of the great guests he is, Harbs presented me with a bottle of the 2007 Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling. Now usually, I enjoy a glass of wine on Sundays to start the week. This week however, I made the conscious effort to put it off for a day or two, which leads to this evening.
Today was a beautiful day in the Willamette Valley. It started with a dense fog that lovingly envelopes everything around it. As I walked to my office much earlier than I should have, I wished I had my camera to grab a couple shots of Salem and my University's campus in the fog. Today was also a very long and busy day that brought me to many meetings in and out of my office, so when I returned home to truly lounge, I decided it was a perfect day to open this Riesling.
The bottle had been chilling for quite a while, perhaps a little longer than it should have. As I poured it into my glass, I was struck by the very clear liquid that came from the bottle. This particular Riesling has a light tinge of yellow - noticeable, but not too heavy. This wine also has a lighter coating on the glass. The nose is quite enjoyable - you are able to notice the pears, the grapes, and you can smell a bit of sweetness to it as well.
On the palate there is a little bit of tartness, but then that is overcome with a bit of sweetness - a trait very common in Rieslings. As you swallow you are able to gather the fruity flavor on your tongue. Again, it is not a very heavy flavor, but it is noticeable and one that you are able to enjoy without it being overbearing, even for those who might not like sweeter wines. There is a bit of warmth that slightly lingers in the throat from this wine, but again, not uncomfortable, but present.
One of the best things I enjoy about Rieslings is that they tend to be wines that you can enjoy on a casual basis. You don't have to have it with dinner, although you can. It doesn't have to be a special occasion. You can appreciate it on a cool fall evening, alone or with friends.
Until next time...
Showing posts with label 2006 Estate Riesling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2006 Estate Riesling. Show all posts
Sweet Cheeks 2006 Estate Riesling
Sweet Cheeks Winery is located in Crow, Oregon, at the southern end of the Willamette Valley and is about 10 miles away from our new home in Veneta. Although Steve and I haven't been out to the winery yet (too much painting and garage door installing to do!), I've been eyeing the Sweet Cheeks wines at the local Bi-Mart. The labels intrigued me - the focal point of the label is a black crow, whose eyes were metallic and seemed to follow me as I walked by. It struck me as strangely dark, a little sinister, and made me intensly curious what sort of wine I would find inside.
We brought home today a bottle of the Sweet Cheeks 2006 Estate Riesling. It's outstanding. Just outstanding. It's the perfect Riesling, sweet melon and citrus fruit all the way through, no minerally bite at the finish, and leaning just toward dry. It's sweet but not overly so, it's crisp but not bitey. It reminds me of summer as the chilly fog surrounds the house. I have not been so impressed with a Riesling since I first tasted the Willamette Valley Vinyards version.
Drinking the 2006 Estate Riesling tonight has me greatly anticipating visiting Sweet Cheeks Winery and tasting what else they have to offer. If it's anything like this wine, it's sure to be a treat. I'm also looking foward to seeing what inspired the naming of the winery - the two rolling hills that come together to form distinctive "cheeks." A winery that creates such a wonderful wine and has fun while doing it? It's got my vote.
