BV Coastal Estates Riesling, California 07

Tasting Notes:
The 2007 Riesling greets the nose with fragrant pear and dried apricot plumed by orange blossom. The balance of ripe fruit and bright acidity interweave to create an inviting, medium-bodied wine that smoothly slides across the palate with juicy peach and lychee flavors highlighted by a classic flinty finish. The refined structure and subtle sweetness of this wine pairs nicely with the hot peppers, warm ginger and sweet basil flavors of Thai food as well as complementing the fresh summer fare of any picnic.

To achieve the refined interplay of fruit and mineral flavors, a delicate hand throughout winemaking is essential. The grapes were pressed and put into stainless steel tanks for long, cool fermentation to ensure essential retention of bright fruit flavors, ultimate complexity and balance. Just before dryness, the winemaker brought temperatures down a few degrees to arrest fermentation, leaving a hint of residual sugar for a nice, rounded mouthfeel and hint of sweetness.

Vineyard Notes:
More than any other varietal, Riesling is temperamental about where it is grown. In the renowned vineyards of Alsace and Germany where the vines thrive, growing conditions are very cool and the soil is … The Hillside Vineyard in the Carmel Highlands, where a majority of grapes come from, boasts similar terraced benches composed of loam and granite that impart a distinct mineralogy. Bracing against the fog and wind blowing off the cool Pacific waters, the grapes experience generally low temperatures throughout the season enabling the fruit to ripen slowly. Resulting grapes have good flavors and bright acids.

Production Notes:
California

Winemaker Notes:
The 2007 growing season was textbook perfect. It began with lower-than-average winter rainfall and a warm spring that encouraged early budbreak. Moderate temperatures prevailed throughout the growing season for even ripening and development of good sugar-to-acid ratios. Harvest occurred in the first few weeks of October, just as the Riesling reached the peak of maturity. Overall, grape quality was high with ripe, lush flavors balanced with lively acidity.