Winemaker Notes
This wine is a natural pairing for spicy Asian cuisine, shellfish, ripe cheeses, and crème brûlée.
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
Soft peach nose; crisp, sleek, and juicy with notes of tangy citrus and green apple. Dry, refreshing, and racy with pure favors and excellent balance.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: While many wine experts scoff at the idea of a California Riesling, Morgan Winery has long understood the microclimates that can produce top-quality Riesling grapes. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, bright, and alive. Its aromas and flavors of racy and Golden Delicious apples, with a hint of flowers, should pair well with a Chinese chicken salad with a touch of sesame oil and dried chili flakes. (Tasted: August 19, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.