Winemaker Notes
Usually a few months after bottling this Riesling has more of a primary fruitiness in aroma, but this wine has a striking earthy prominence now. White tea, minerals and kaffir lime leaves up front, then lemon meringue, tangerine zest and some tough-to-place white fruit-cherimoya? No matter, this is delicious and vibrant dry Riesling that vintage to vintage surprises their tasting room guests who come in thinking that Riesling has to be sweet.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Exotic lime, quince, and lychee nut notes emerge from the 2017 Riesling Kick On Vineyard and it’s more dry and crisp than normal while still playing in the off-dry category. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, and just a joy to drink, it should keep nicely for upwards of a decade, although I see no need to delay gratification.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Riesling Kick On Ranch has a spicy, floral-tinged nose of musk, lemon-lime, petrichor and yellow peach with tropical fruits and honey touches in the background. The palate is medium-bodied and a bit weightier than expected but with lots of mineral and citrus zip and zing, finishing long and crisp. This has an appealing dichotomy of weight with fruit purity and delicacy.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.