Winemaker Notes
The 2006 Riesling was produced entirely from grapes grown in Monterey County, along California's cool Central Coast. An especially rich, full-bodied rendition of the noble Riesling variety, it exudes fresh honeysuckle, ripe peach, citrus blossom and baking spice aromas with mouthfilling, honeyed peach, ripe yellow apple and kiwi fruit flavors.
Pair this full-flavored Riesling with rich seafood and poultry dishes, baked ham, pork chops, grilled sausages, smoked meats and spicy Pacific Rim cuisines. It's also delicious on its own and with fresh fruit and cheese.
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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.