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1999 Dry Riesling Reserve

(updated 8/9/01)

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The Wine

Our Dry Riesling is produced in very limited quantities from a 1.1 acre block on our Corral Creek Vineyard, largely for top-end restaurants or dry riesling freaks. This is a big wine with brilliant, rich fruit, bright acid and a weighty palate. The acidity provides ageability and great structure, making it amazing with food and cleansing on the palate. It continues the viscous, intense, Alsatian styled wines that our Pinot Gris Reserve starts; it is harvested late (always in November) with a touch of botrytis and full ripeness, giving the most intense dry riesling we can make. Some of our customers consider this the best domestic riesling made.

The Vineyard

Corral Creek, although not our oldest estate vineyard, was begun in 1983 by John and Diane Howieson, founders of Veritas Winery from whom the vineyard was purchased in 1995. A 25 acre vineyard predominantly planted to Pinot noir, significant grafts of Dijon chardonnay and Pinot gris have been made at the vineyard, but not touching a 1.1 acre block of 15 year old Riesling nestled on a low bench above Corral Creek. Soils are Laurelwood, a predominantly sedimentary soil series that, although being low in elevation, is well drained.

The Vintage

The 1999 vintage is a great year for white wines, a cool, long growing season, which retained acidity, ending in an improbable but welcome 8 weeks of dry and moderately warm weather, which ripened fruit late but impeccably. White wines are bright with acidity, yet balanced with lush fruit. Ageability should be excellent.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 11/3/99 @22.8 brix, 2.95 pH, and 8.8 g/L acid.

Fermentation:

Fermented with several yeasts in small stainless vessels.

Cooperage/Aging:

Tank fermented.

Clonal Selection:

Bottling:

Cold stabilized, filtered and bottled 4/3/2000.

Bottling Analyses:

13.7 % alcohol, 8.6 g/L acid., 3.01 pH, 0.60% residual sugar.

Cases Produced:

155

Suggested Retail:

$19

Release Date:

August, 2000

Winemaker's Comments

An almost-cult wine this riesling is concentrated and well-structured on the palate. It is tightly packed as a young wine, showing mineral and grapefruit on the nose, with spice, white stone fruit, and floral accents just beginning to surface; vinified in small lots with a selection of yeasts, it is dry and as perfectly balanced as we can make it.

Quotes

Beverage Testing Institute, Tastings, Spring 2001. 90 Points. Pale metallic gold hue. Juicy and fresh aromas suggest a lime-like zest. Impressively intense and vibrant on the attack with a moderately full body and a long, zesty, minerally finish. This has the structure to age.

The Wine Advocate, Pierre Rovani, March 2001: 88. ...a highly expressive, concentrated, tangy, and focused wine. Spices, minerals and assorted white fruits can be found in this flavorful and persistent personality.

Friends of the Vine (Japan), Spring 2001 Newsletter: ... a wine which shows us a new style possibility from Oregon. The aromas are of white fruits, melon, and a hint of mineral -- pure and very rich. There is a beautiful acid infused in this wine, with an indescribable eloquent balance ...we blind tasted Riesling from four countries, Chehalem's Riesling scored an impressive #1! There are many who dismiss riesling because it is sweet; if you are one of these people, we beg you to try this wine and discover this grape's potential.