2014 Poet's Leap Riesling

2014 POET'S LEAP - 91 POINTS

"Silky, lively and elegant, with layers of pear, citrus, wax and floral flavors in lovely proportion, finishing harmoniously and slightly off-dry."

2014 POET'S LEAP - 91 POINTS

"Tangy aromas of stone and citrus fruits, dusty brown spices, minerals and honey. Moderately sweet but with terrific acidity and saline minerality buffering the sugar and intensifying the fruit. A strong CO2 content gives the wine a youthful spritz. Tactile, bright Riesling with terrific retention of fruit." - Stephen Tanzer

2014 POET'S LEAP - 91 POINTS

"Open-armed, generous and fine-boned, this pure Riesling is composed primarily of fruit from The Benches vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, overlooing the Columbia River. It has a peppery phenolic top note that seems to hold the wine together like fine lace, with an elder-flower scent, pure apple flavors, and a finish that's forthright and subtly phenolic."

The 2014 Poet’s Leap Riesling brings together a distinct collection of Columbia Valley vineyards, each contributing unique components to the finished wine.  Long Shadows’ Sonnet Vineyard planted with German clones at The Benches in the Horse Heaven Hills (47%) contributes minerality.  Yakima Valley’s Phil Church Vineyard (25%) adds a hint of citrus peel and bright acidity.  Old vines from Tri-Cities’ Dionysus Vineyard (20%) planted in 1972 provide white peach and layers of complexity.  Underwood Mountain (8%) in the Columbia Gorge was the coolest site used in the vintage’s blend, selected for the grapes’ lively character.

 
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) and Armin is president of the VDP-Nahe section.
 
Armin is also one of Germany’s leading wine writers (though he never comments on his own wines). Until 2009 he was co-editor of the German Gault Millau Wine Guide. He writes mainly about French and German wines for several leading German wine reviews.
 
Armin and his wife Monika live in Burg Layen with their daughter Caroline who became partner in the winery in 2006. She had completed her studies in enology in Geisenheim – Germany’s UC Davis equivalent. Son Victor is based in Hamburg and responsible for the estate’s export sales.