Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Dry Riesling 2003 Front Label
Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Dry Riesling 2003 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

History: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all grapes are created equal, and what's more, riesling is the most unequal of them all, the Überweintraube. Riesling's one tragic flaw is not found in its intrinsic character, but rather in the impression conjured up by the images that typically adorn its labels. While effective during the heyday of the Weimar Republic, swooping black eagles and imposing gothic fonts are generally thought to possibly push the wrong buttons association-wise with the contemporary wine-buying public in search of gracious living. If, on the other hand, an earnest and ardent champion of riesling pursued a kinder, gentler form of world doonimation by wrapping a crisp, potentially aromatic and comparatively dry iteration of the noble grape [which happens to be a peerless accompaniment to all manner of Asiatic and equatorial cuisine] in an aquatic daydream, that would be a bass of an altogether different stripe.
Bonny Doon

Bonny Doon

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Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.

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Central Coast

California

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The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.

Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.

While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.

WWH31BPRR2_2003 Item# 76133