2009 Poet's Leap Riesling
Inspired by the greatest wines of Germany and crafted by one of Germany's most highly acclaimed Riesling producers, Armin Diel, proprietor of the renowned Schlossgut Diel.
Fresh, clean and crisp, the 2009 Poet's Leap offers generous aromas of fresh citrus, star fruit, kumquat and flint with flavors of ripe melon and white peach that dance on the palate. This is a lively Riesling with just a hint of sweetness, wonderfully balanced by its natural acidity and a clean, racy finish.
95 POINTS - WINE ENTHUSIAST
TOP 100 WINES OF 2010 (#7)
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2009 |
| Varietal | Riesling |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Riesling |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Acid | 0.80g/100ml |
| PH | 3.04 |
| Aging | Drink now through 2019 |
| Residual Sugar | 1.35g/100ml |
| Alcohol | 12.90% |
| Wine Style | White Wine |
| Volume | 750 ml |
2009 POET'S LEAP - 95 POINTS
“With residual sugar at about 1.35%, this balances the acidity without seeming sweet. Hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed, this immaculate, fresh, generous and stylish Riesling is always at the top of the list of Washington's best. Loaded with grapefruit, citrus and stone flavors, it cleans the palate and piles on the details as it rolls into a finish that lingers well over a full minute." Editor's Choice, #7 ranking in their "Top 100 Wines of 2010"
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2009 POET'S LEAP - 91 POINTS
“The 2009 Poet’s Leap Riesling is light straw-colored with an alluring perfume of flint, spring flowers, white peach, and melon. Made in a Kabinett style (1.35 grams of residual sugar), on the palate it is crisp, vibrant, intense, and impeccably balanced. It can be enjoyed over the next 6 years."
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2009 POET'S LEAP - 91 POINTS
“A bit of patience is needed before this very reticent youngster starts to blossom and show what proves to be a precise Riesling fruit, but its tantalizing glimpses of fresh pears, green peaches, and a certain stony complexity tag it as a very serious wine that is worth any wait. Near-perfect acidity serves as a counterpoint to its modest sugars, and its overall balance is ideal. Its singular sin is that of youth, and it is guaranteed to gain in beauty in the next couple of years.”
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The 2009 Poet's Leap Riesling is a blend of three distinct growing regions representing the best of the Columbia Valley’s old and new Riesling plantings. Old vines, planted by Sagemoor Farms (20%) as early as 1972, add a hint of honey, dried apricot and white peach to the wine. Yakima Valley’s cooler vineyards (33%) contribute acidity, citrus and delicate fruit flavors. Long Shadows’ Sonnet Vineyard at The Benches (47%), planted with German clones in 2004 at the direction of Armin Diel, underscores this wine’s true varietal character and provides a pleasant minerality.
Armin Diel is one of Germany’s most acclaimed Riesling producers. His family has owned the celebrated estate of Schlossgut Diel, in Burg Layen, in the Nahe River Valley since 1802. Involved in the estate from the early years of his childhood, Armin assumed management of the winery, a 12th century medieval castle and it’s prestigious vineyards, the best known being Goldloch (pebbles), and Pittermännchen (slate), in 1987. Ten years later, Armin acquired Burgberg (quartz), another outstanding vineyard on the eastern side of Goldloch. All three parcels have been classified on an official ground tax map with the highest possible ranking since 1901, giving them status comparable to a Burgundy Grand Cru.
Schlossgut Diel is internationally renowned for its white wines, predominately Rieslings, across a wide range of styles. The intense Goldloch wines are similar to the great Rheingau-Rieslings; the Pittermännchen Rieslings are more like the refined Middle Mosels; and the Burgberg is a brilliant source for great dry Rieslings. Schlossgut Diel is also highly regarded for its rare sweet Eisweins and Ausleses. The estate is a member of the prestigious “Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter” (VDP) which lists Germany's top 200 estates, and Armin has been president of the VDP-Nahe section since 1993.
Armin is also one of Germany’s leading wine writers (though he never comments on his own wines). He was co-editor of the German Gault Millau Wine Guide and writes frequently about French and German wines for various magazines.
Armin and his wife Monika live in Burg Layen and have two grown children. Their daughter, Caroline, is responsible for the winemaking at Schlossgut Diel. She is married and has three children. Their son, Victor, is responsible for Marketing and Sales of the estate, with a focus on export markets.
