2016 Poet's Leap Riesling
Inspired by the great wines of Germany and winemaker Armin Diel, one of the most highly acclaimed Riesling producers and proprietor of the renowned Schlossgut Diel.
The 2016 vintage was another hot growing season that required extra care in the vineyard to preserve the Riesling's fresh, bright character. Building on the success of our canopy management program the last few vintages, we worked with growers throughout the season to encourage growth of the canes and outside foliage to protect against the sun while opening up the fruit zone for even maturation. Warm temperatures in the fall hastened ripening, but the Columbia Valley's cool autumn nights gave us fresh, ripe fruit with balanced natural acidity.
The 2016 vintage of Poet's Leap is an off-dry Riesling with expressive, spicy aromatics and generous, lively flavors. Fresh melon, honey, ripe apricot and a hint of citrus jump on the palate leaving a vibrant, racy impression and a long, clean finish.
92 POINTS, WINE ADVOCATE
RIESLING OF THE YEAR - WA WINE AWARDS
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Varietal | Riesling |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Riesling |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Acid | .7 grams / 100 ml |
| PH | 2.91 |
| Residual Sugar | 1.1g / 100ml |
| Alcohol | 12.50% |
| Wine Style | White Wine |
| Volume | 750 ml |
2016 POET'S LEAP - RIESLNG OF THE YEAR
"Gilles Nicault takes his second prize this year with Long Shadows' classic reference-point Washington Riesling. The layered fruit (lime, tangerine, peach) is complicated by a persistent minerality and balanced by a striking vein of acidity."
2016 POET'S LEAP - 93 POINTS
"This is a standout. Lime citrus and some more savory wet-stone notes. Really exciting nose. The palate delivers a pithy lime and apple impression. A fresh drink-now style that's gently off-dry."
2016 POET'S LEAP - 92 POINTS
"The 2016 Poet's Leap is very pretty, offering up aromas of lime, lemon oil, white flowers and very subtle petrol that wouldn't be out of place in the Mosel. On the palate, it's light to medium-bodied, racy and mouthwatering, with lovely intensity and purity, concluding with a stony finish. It's a beautiful wine and carries a very modest price tag."
2016 POET'S LEAP - 90 POINTS
"Snappy and refiined, offering expressive star fruit and slate aromas that lead to sleek apricot and spice flavors." - Smart Buy
2016 POET'S LEAP - 90 POINTS
"This wine's aromas are bright, with honeysuckle, ripe peach, mandarin orange, slate and lime zest notes. It drinks just off dry, with abundant stone fruit flavors, mouthwatering acidity and a balance that's spot-on."
The 2016 Poet’s Leap Riesling brings together a varied collection of Columbia Valley vineyards. Roughly half of the blend is from German clones planted in the Horse Heaven Hills high above the Columbia River, selected to give this wine its distinct minerality. Yakima Valley's Phil Church Vineyard (12%) adds bright acidity. Sagemoor Farms Vineyards (16%) bring apricot and honey to the final blend, and Underwood Mountain (9%) in the Columbia Gorge enhances the wine's lively, assertive character.
Armin Diel, owner of Schlossgut Diel from Germany's Nahe region, came to Long Shadows in 2003 to make Poet's Leap Riesling. The partnership was born after Long Shadow's founder Allen Shoup and Armin discovered a shared belief in the notion that the U.S. was on the cusp of a Riesling renaissance. It was this idea that led Allen, then CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle to establish Eroica, Chateau Ste. Michelle's joint venture with the Mosel's Dr. Ernst Loosen. At the same time, Diel was leading a Riesling renaissance of his own, serving as president of the VDP-Nahe, an association of area wine estates dedicated to high-quality Riesling production in Germany. And it was Dr. Loosen's friendship with Allen and Armin that brought the two together.
Since Poet's Leap's first vintage in 2003, Long Shadows' director of winemaking Gilles Nicault has collaborated with Armin on Poet's Leap's vineyard selection, fermentation and blending to establish a consistent style for the wine. In the fall of 2016, Gilles assumed total winemaking responsibility for Poet's Leap after Armin found it increasingly challenging to make the numerous trips overseas that the project required. Gilles remains committed to crafting the same style and quality of the wine the team originally envisioned.
