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Wine Recommendation
Gainey Vineyard
2006 Limited Selection Riesling, Home Ranch(Santa Ynez Valley)
Riesling is a big deal at Gainey Vineyard. They source it entirely from their own original Home Ranch Vineyard on the eastern edge of Santa Ynez Valley (a warm Region II), where they have grown the varietal since 1984. In fact, Riesling rivals Merlot as the varietal with the most acreage (20 acres) in their vineyard, which is composed of gravelly loam and clay, as well as sandy loam.
The 2006 Riesling harvest went well into mid-October, so the grapes were able to ripen slowly and develop distinctive varietal flavors. To that end, winemaker Kirby Anderson whole-cluster pressed the fruit into stainless steel tanks for a three month, cold temperature ferment; the wine was bottled this past May without ever seeing any oak.
The aromatics of this wine are very typically floral, along with apple, peach, mineral and honeysuckle. Green apple and lemon-lime are the flavors, with wet stones as a back beat. The residual sugar is .91, which gives the wine a great balance between ripe fruit flavors and sweetness. Not cloying in any way, the RS is an integrated and organic part of the greater whole. But, really, the fresh and zesty flavors are the reason for this wine to exist; the lovely lime, slate, and mineral grace notes on the finish are just an added bargain.
Reviewed October 4, 2007 by Dennis Schaefer.
Other reviewed wines from Gainey Vineyard
The Wine
Winery: Gainey Vineyard |
The Reviewer
Dennis Schaefer
Dennis Schaefer has been tasting and writing about wine for over 30 years, propelled by a continuing curiosity and burgeoning enthusiasm for discovering what’s in the bottle. Blessed with catholic tastes, he enjoys everything from the obvious to the sublime. A major requirement is that the vineyard, winery and winemaker consistently perform well and fulfill their potential. Balance, concentration and complexity are key to the tasting experience but, in the end, the purpose of wine is simply to give pleasure. |