Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Grown on the producer's Home Ranch, this offers flavors of juicy peach, stone and white flower, with the midpalate bringing tangy tones of Meyer lemon and grapefruit. Balanced through and through, it shows lushness on the finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: As a wine professional, three decades ago, I found the Trefethen Dry Rieslings—I can't remember if the wines were labeled, "White Riesling," then—delicious and unique amongst the California wines. The 2017 Trefethen Dry Riesling is another show-stopper. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, bright, and lively. Its aromas and flavors of juicy apples, fragrant flowers, and ripe nectarines should pair nicely with a bowl of freshly steamed Dungeness crab in a ginger, garlic sauce. (Tasted: August 2, 2018, 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.
As one of Napa’s coolest sub-appellations, the area begs for diversity among its vineyards. Merlot and Chardonnay firmly compete with Cabernet Sauvignon for a place here. Some of Napa’s best Zinfandels also come from the Oak Knoll District.
Situated far in Napa’s southern end, Oak Knoll receives a strong cooling influence from both the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Coast’s evening fog and breezes. Summer days are warm but on average ten degrees cooler than in St. Helena farther north up the valley; summer nights are chilly. A long growing season promotes for leisurely ripening of grape berries, resulting in an impressive balance of sugars, phenols and acidity.
Notable producers include Trefethen, one of the appellation’s oldest wineries, Robert Biale, legendary Zinfandel producer and Lewis Cellars, a family-run, hands-on establishment.