Palouse Winery 2015 White Bluffs Vineyards Cloud 9 Riesling, Washington, $24
The Claar-Whitelatch family’s 30-year-old planting near the Columbia River’s Hanford Reach – White Bluffs Vineyard – produced the best dessert wine at the 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Here, Vashon Island winemaker George Kirkish again proves the quality of that Riesling site with a delicious off-dry expression that starts with aromas of Bosc pear, Golden Delicious apple, lime peel and a rip of Scotch Magic Tape. Its luscious entry offers a tasty buildup of Jolly Rancher Green Apple candy and sugared lime flavors. The finish of apple and pear shows the residual sugar of 2% and brings pleasing length. It earned a silver medal at the 2016 Capital Food and Wine Festival Wine Competition, a fundraiser for scholarships at St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 135 cases
Alcohol: 10.8%
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