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RIESLING

An elegant, floral white wine. Varieties of this wine are often referred to by long and intimidating names like "Johannisberg Riesling", but you shouldn't be afraid to drink it. Can by anything from dry to late harvest sweet; I find its taste rather distinctive (although not quite as identifiable as the gewurztraminer grape).

Wines reviewed to date:

1. Madrona El Dorado Johannisberg Riesling, 1991
2. River Run Dry White Riesling, 1994

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• Date Purchased: California Wine Club Selection
• Date Consumed: 6/14/95
• Price:
• Alcohol: 12.0%
• Res. Sugar 1.3%

• BW: Bright, refreshing, pleasantly fruity. Tastes of pears and honey. The color is a clear vanilla, not much aroma. An enjoyable summer wine, rather sweet and simple. B-
• SD: Nose: sweet, rich with pears and apples. Color: a clear pale yellow, nicely dilaminated. Taste: Smooth and sweet, like a finely aged honey. Mellow, hints of kiwi and pear. An after dinner wine, or after noon, or after something. I don't like wines this sweet as a general rule, but this is ok. I'd get sick if I had to drink more than a glass though -- a wee bit tired and tiring. C+
• AW: Semi-dry. No elderberry bouquet. Crystal clear. Fruity -- gooseberry -- possibly a ML (malo-lactic) fermentation. Very smooth. B-
• BM: Slightly sweet, mildly spicy bouquet. Soft finish, but lacking a strong flavor profile -- rather characterless. Sweetness overbalances flavor and acidity. C+

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• Date Purchased: California Wine Club Selection
• Date Consumed: 12/12/95
• Alcohol: 12.0%
• Res. Sugar 0.6%

• BW: Offers a crisp scent of apples and pears. It's a pretty, clear amber. On first taste, I'm disappointed -- it's got no tingle on the tongue. But then it seems I was wrong. It does have some fizz, and a nice apple flavor. It's a simple, refreshing, quaffable wine, enjoyable if you don't mind some sweetness. B-
• SD: Apricots in the nose are a prelude to the taste. Wonderful fruity edges but with a slightly hollow middle that hints at something missing. Overall, though, an excellent dry riesling, refreshing with schpritz. Apricot coda. B+

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