Ste. Chapelle 2012 Special Harvest Riesling, Snake River Valley, $10
Best Buy! Idaho’s Snake River Valley climate lends itself to the production of quaffable Riesling, and Maurine Johnson has been making them longer than anyone in the Gem State. Think of grilled peach and apple rolled in cinnamon sugar, along with whiffs of cherry juice, cocoa butter and lilac. Make no mistake, this is a late-harvest style with its 7.5% residual sugar, and you get that early on with flavors of white peach drizzled in honey as well as apricot, but there’s enjoyable upfront acidity and a finish of hot buttered rum batter. It’s a crowd-pleaser with a profile that will do well by serving it alone as dessert, but it will also pair with angel food cake, Walkers Scottish shortbread cookies and fresh fruit.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 7,800 cases
Alcohol: 12.5%
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